Inside Theresa May and Donald Trump's hand-holding Chequers meeting

Theresa May and Trump were known for their bizarre relationship, particularly their awkward hand holding at the White House which made headlines around the world.

On Thursday’s episode on The Division Bell podcast, the Mirror’s Deputy Political Editor Lizzy Buchan gives an insight into the special relationship between the two world leaders. The moment when Trump grasped May's hand outside the White House in 2017 stunned onlookers. But this wasn't the only time it happened.

The Mirror's Lizzy Buchan saw the pair holding hands on another occasion, right after the US President had criticised Theresa May's Brexit plans. Speaking on The Division Bell podcast, Lizzy said: “Prime ministers and presidents have had sort of their ups and downs over the years, and the Theresa May and Donald Trump relationship was quite funny.”

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She continued: “I remember going to the joint press conference at Chequers, the Prime Minister's grace and favour house. And it had been that morning one of the newspapers - one of our rivals - had run an interview with Donald Trump where he'd praised Boris Johnson and said that Theresa May's Brexit deal wasn't very good and that sort of thing, and then they had to do a joint press conference together.”

What happened next stunned journalists. Lizzy revealed: “The atmosphere was really tense, and it felt like we were waiting around in this really hot garden for ages, and eventually they came out and then they held hands again. I remember just thinking this is so bizarre.”

“The journalist who'd written the story was behind me and sort of asked a question about it. Donald Trump just pretended he'd forgotten the interview. Theresa May was standing there sort of rigid, trying not to address it.”

Lizzy made the revelation during a conversation about the special relationship between the US and UK after Keir Starmer met US President Joe Biden at the Nato summit in Washington. She and the Express’ Martyn Brown were exchanging stories about what goes on behind the scenes during these high-profile visits.

Martyn speculated about the future relationship between Starmer and Biden: “It will be interesting because Biden obviously had a very bad day yesterday, particularly with George Clooney telling him to step down.”

He continued: “It could be quite possible that we’re having Trump back in the White House, and the dynamic between him and Starmer will be very interesting. That's one thing they're trying to do at this NATO summit is to try and kind of Trump-proof a deal over Ukraine to make sure that aid can go to Ukraine if Trump comes in and doesn't want to do that.”