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LONDON — In a historic speech in the heart of British democracy, House Speaker Mike Johnson said Tuesday that he had come to “calm the waters” between the United States and Europe.
Yet, even as he spoke, his hosts were reeling from President Donald Trump’s latest diplomatic torpedo, deriding Britain’s “stupidity” and renewing his threats to seize territory from his own NATO allies.
Marking 250 years of American independence, Johnson, R-La., became the first sitting speaker to address the British Parliament, something he called a “profound honor” akin to returning “to the spiritual birthplace of our own nation.”
His visit has, however, been overshadowed by Trump’s aggressive campaign to take control of Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory, which has shocked and alarmed Europe.
The president doubled down on his hostilities late Monday, criticizing Britain’s decision to relinquish control of the Chagos Islands, an Indian Ocean archipelago home to a British-U.S. military base.
Johnson’s speech to British lawmakers did not reference any of this by name, instead adopting a warm tone and words to laud the long-standing ideological basis for their “special relationship.”
He told them, “We have always been able to work through our differences calmly as friends. We will continue to do that. I want to assure you this morning that that is still the case.”
He said that when planning the trip last fall, “we didn’t know how the events would develop over the last few days,” but that he had told Trump on Monday “that my mission here today was to encourage our friends and help to calm the waters, so to speak, and I hope to do so.”
Fifty years ago, then-House Speaker Carl Albert was invited to the British Parliament to mark 200 years of American independence. But Johnson is the first to address lawmakers directly.
Europe has over the past year been bruised by the open hostility of Trump and Vice President JD Vance, who has repeatedly assailed the continent’s immigration policies and cast it as a weak civilization in terminal, self-inflicted decline.
Johnson’s jovial tone contrasted with that of his MAGA colleagues.
He spoke of Abraham Lincoln and Winston Churchill, and “how our nations have evolved and grown and strengthened in so many ways together.”
He did reference some of the grievances often espoused by Vance and others — albeit in less direct terms.
“It takes our courage, clarity and conviction to defend truth, just as our ancestors did,” he said. “And it means being able to say that some things are true and good and enduring and others are not, and to call evil and madness what it is.”
He referenced the need for “secure borders,” the protection of “fundamental freedoms of speech” and defense of “strong and lethal militaries” — all common White House criticisms of Britain and its European Union neighbors.
Johnson’s warmth was shared by Lindsay Hoyle, speaker of the British House of Commons, who introduced him.
“Yesterday, we had a chance to chat over a cup of tea about our first trade dispute, the Boston Tea Party,” Hoyle said. “We’ve only just about forgiven you for that trade dispute, so I’ll say no more about any others.”
But as these men spoke, London was taking in Trump’s latest intervention.
In a Truth Social post late Monday, Trump said that Britain giving the Chagos Islands back to Mauritius was an act of “great stupidity” and “total weakness,” reversing his administration’s previous stance in support of the deal signed by London last year.
Mauritius, itself an Indian Ocean nation, had argued that it was illegally forced to give away the archipelago to gain independence from Britain. As part of the deal, the U.K. and the U.S. will retain a 99-year lease of the Diego Garcia military base.
Trump’s criticism is deeply humiliating for British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, one of several European leaders who have tried to use flattery and deference to curry favor with the American leader.
Ed Davey, leader of the opposition Liberal Democrats party, said on X that that was “proof appeasing a bully never works.”
The British government defended its decision Tuesday, with a spokesman saying the deal had secured the future of the military base “for generations” and noting that it was supported by Washington and other allies.
Alexander Smith is a senior reporter for NBC News Digital based in London.
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