Nigel Farage on Donald Trump: Friends can disagree with friends
Why resist verification?
Welcome to the latest edition of Washington Secrets. Today, we have an interview with Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform U.K., about his relationship with President Donald Trump, as well as a slightly cheeky reminder that the turnover in Britain’s Conservative Party (four leaders in as many years) means they are not very well known in Washington anymore.
It is not always easy being an ally of Donald Trump. Just ask Nigel Farage.
The leader of Britain’s Reform U.K. party heads into local elections that could remake British politics with his own party at the top, but he will be keeping one eye on what the President of the United States is doing.
Farage was an early backer of Trump, whose rise to power coincided with the British politician riding a populist Brexit wave. Farage has at times acted as Trump’s warm-up man on the U.S. campaign circuit, and the two have traded tactics.
But there are limits. Farage, now a Member of Parliament, has new responsibilities as his party challenges for power. And he has sometimes been more vocal in setting red lines.
“Do friends always agree on everything? No, they don’t,” he told Secrets by phone after stepping off a plane in London recently. He had just returned from Dubai, where he was the star turn at a party for GB News, the right-wing TV station where he is a host.
“You know, I didn’t agree with the Canada stuff at all,” he said about Trump’s plan to make America’s northern neighbor the 51st state. “Obviously, how could I when the King is head of state there?”
“But do I believe he is a friend of Britain? Absolutely,” Farage continued. “We just need a leadership that can work with America more closely.”
That leadership, of course, is him.
Reform is ahead in the polls, somewhere around eight points clear of Labour and 12 points ahead of the Conservatives, and has wooed a string of high-profile defections.
The United Kingdom’s first-past-the-post voting system makes it hard for new parties to turn those sorts of numbers into national power, but, as I reported recently with my colleague Timothy Nerozzi, May’s local elections could see Reform make a breakthrough.
There is still another Trump-shaped “but” coming: Farage’s relationship with the president could be a problem for his party, particularly with women.
A December 2025 YouGov tracker poll found that 72% of Britons had an unfavorable opinion of Trump, compared to just 22% who viewed him favorably. And January polling by More in Common, a British …
Why resist verification?
Welcome to the latest edition of Washington Secrets. Today, we have an interview with Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform U.K., about his relationship with President Donald Trump, as well as a slightly cheeky reminder that the turnover in Britain’s Conservative Party (four leaders in as many years) means they are not very well known in Washington anymore.
It is not always easy being an ally of Donald Trump. Just ask Nigel Farage.
The leader of Britain’s Reform U.K. party heads into local elections that could remake British politics with his own party at the top, but he will be keeping one eye on what the President of the United States is doing.
Farage was an early backer of Trump, whose rise to power coincided with the British politician riding a populist Brexit wave. Farage has at times acted as Trump’s warm-up man on the U.S. campaign circuit, and the two have traded tactics.
But there are limits. Farage, now a Member of Parliament, has new responsibilities as his party challenges for power. And he has sometimes been more vocal in setting red lines.
“Do friends always agree on everything? No, they don’t,” he told Secrets by phone after stepping off a plane in London recently. He had just returned from Dubai, where he was the star turn at a party for GB News, the right-wing TV station where he is a host.
“You know, I didn’t agree with the Canada stuff at all,” he said about Trump’s plan to make America’s northern neighbor the 51st state. “Obviously, how could I when the King is head of state there?”
“But do I believe he is a friend of Britain? Absolutely,” Farage continued. “We just need a leadership that can work with America more closely.”
That leadership, of course, is him.
Reform is ahead in the polls, somewhere around eight points clear of Labour and 12 points ahead of the Conservatives, and has wooed a string of high-profile defections.
The United Kingdom’s first-past-the-post voting system makes it hard for new parties to turn those sorts of numbers into national power, but, as I reported recently with my colleague Timothy Nerozzi, May’s local elections could see Reform make a breakthrough.
There is still another Trump-shaped “but” coming: Farage’s relationship with the president could be a problem for his party, particularly with women.
A December 2025 YouGov tracker poll found that 72% of Britons had an unfavorable opinion of Trump, compared to just 22% who viewed him favorably. And January polling by More in Common, a British …
Nigel Farage on Donald Trump: Friends can disagree with friends
Why resist verification?
Welcome to the latest edition of Washington Secrets. Today, we have an interview with Nigel Farage, the leader of Reform U.K., about his relationship with President Donald Trump, as well as a slightly cheeky reminder that the turnover in Britain’s Conservative Party (four leaders in as many years) means they are not very well known in Washington anymore.
It is not always easy being an ally of Donald Trump. Just ask Nigel Farage.
The leader of Britain’s Reform U.K. party heads into local elections that could remake British politics with his own party at the top, but he will be keeping one eye on what the President of the United States is doing.
Farage was an early backer of Trump, whose rise to power coincided with the British politician riding a populist Brexit wave. Farage has at times acted as Trump’s warm-up man on the U.S. campaign circuit, and the two have traded tactics.
But there are limits. Farage, now a Member of Parliament, has new responsibilities as his party challenges for power. And he has sometimes been more vocal in setting red lines.
“Do friends always agree on everything? No, they don’t,” he told Secrets by phone after stepping off a plane in London recently. He had just returned from Dubai, where he was the star turn at a party for GB News, the right-wing TV station where he is a host.
“You know, I didn’t agree with the Canada stuff at all,” he said about Trump’s plan to make America’s northern neighbor the 51st state. “Obviously, how could I when the King is head of state there?”
“But do I believe he is a friend of Britain? Absolutely,” Farage continued. “We just need a leadership that can work with America more closely.”
That leadership, of course, is him.
Reform is ahead in the polls, somewhere around eight points clear of Labour and 12 points ahead of the Conservatives, and has wooed a string of high-profile defections.
The United Kingdom’s first-past-the-post voting system makes it hard for new parties to turn those sorts of numbers into national power, but, as I reported recently with my colleague Timothy Nerozzi, May’s local elections could see Reform make a breakthrough.
There is still another Trump-shaped “but” coming: Farage’s relationship with the president could be a problem for his party, particularly with women.
A December 2025 YouGov tracker poll found that 72% of Britons had an unfavorable opinion of Trump, compared to just 22% who viewed him favorably. And January polling by More in Common, a British …
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