Jacob Rees-Mogg says he would prefer President Donald Trump to Joe Biden

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Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg has said he would rather see Donald Trump win the upcoming US election than Joe Biden, claiming the current President “dislikes Britain”.

The former business secretary said President Biden’s tenure has been “very unfortunate” for UK-US relations.

And he said Mr Trump is “better disposed” towards the United Kingdom.

His comments came after the ex-President overwhelmingly won the Iowa caucuses on Monday evening in the first official contest of the Republican presidential primaries.

Sir Jacob told ITV: “I would rather have Donald Trump than President Biden.

“I think Donald Trump is better disposed towards the United Kingdom, I think President Biden has shown his dislike for the United Kingdom throughout his presidency and that’s been very unfortunate and unhelpful to whatever you make of the special relationship.”

Asked for his view on what would happen if, as some fear in the US, Mr Trump stopped backing Ukraine in its war against Russia, he said that would be “a terrible thing”.

“We cannot let the tyrant Putin win, and I would hope that any American president would support those efforts,” Sir Jacob said.

He added: “I would be very surprised if he did that. But Donald Trump often says things in a way that excites people and then he’s much more pragmatic when he’s in government.

“Certainly that was true with all that he said about Nato when he was president last time around.”

The former US President had dangled the prospect of striking a “very big trade deal” with Britain while in office, hopes of which have been dashed under Mr Biden.

But defence chiefs have warned of the prospect of Mr Trump withdrawing his backing for Ukraine, which could lead to instability in Europe.

A former Nato secretary general has said he was “sceptical” about the US continuing to provide military aid for Ukraine if Donald Trump was re-elected as president.

Anders Fogh Rasmussen told PBS Newshour on Wednesday that it was detrimental for America’s national security interests for Russia to win the war against Ukraine. “We cannot allow (Vladimir) Putin any success in Ukraine.”

He was asked about US aid for Ukraine that has been held up by Congress, as Republicans seek to force the Democrats into passing tougher immigration controls.

If a new aid package cannot be passed under president Joe Biden’s government before the US goes to the polls in November, Mr Rasmussen said he was “sceptical” of the chances one would be agreed under a potential Trump administration.