Coronavirus: Donald Trump surprised by how ‘incredible’ Boris Johnson sounded on phone
Written by News on 24/04/2020
Donald Trump says Boris Johnson “sounded incredible” during a phone call earlier this week.
The prime minister scheduled calls with both the US president and the Queen this week as part of a gradual return to work following his coronavirus fight.
The Daily Telegraph says Mr Johnson, who was discharged from hospital on 12 April, is telling friends that he could return to work properly as early as Monday.
:: Listen to Divided States on Apple podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, and Spreaker
And Mr Trump seems to be of the view that the PM is ready.
“He called me a few days ago, I will tell you he sounded incredible,” the US president told reporters.
“I was actually surprised… he was ready to go. I’m very surprised to tell you this. It’s like the old Boris, tremendous energy, tremendous drive.”
He added: “Because he called me almost pretty close to when he got out of the hospital, I think he’s doing great.
“He was so sharp and energetic, pretty incredible. He’s an incredible guy. He’s a friend of ours and a friend of mine, he loves our country, he loves his country a lot… and they’re lucky to have him over there.”
The Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State Dominic Raab has been standing in for Mr Johnson for the last few weeks.
The PM will return to a cabinet divided over how and when to lift the UK’s lockdown.
In analysis for the Sky News website and app, political editor Beth Rigby wrote: “The cabinet is not united on how quickly and extensively the lockdown should be lifted.
“The health secretary is laser-focused on trying to drive down the death rate and protect the NHS and wants to push down the transmission rate as low as possible before easing the lockdown.
“Others, including those in the Treasury, have a different set of priorities as they look at the economic cost of shutting down the economy. The longer the lockdown, the worse the damage.”
(c) Sky News 2020: Coronavirus: Donald Trump surprised by how ‘incredible’ Boris Johnson sounded on phone
