Donald Trump has reportedly left civil servants amused and befuddled by extending an unusual and unpresidential invitation to Theresa May. Asked about the reported conversation, the prime minister’s spokesman said: “The invitation from the president-elect was a very warm invitation to come as soon as possible.”According to the Times, Trump’s remarks were disclosed in an official transcript of the 10-minute conversation held last Thursday. Overseas visits by the prime minister to the US cost hundreds of thousands of pounds and can take months to arrange. On Thursday, a government minister referred to Trump as a peer of the realm, before quickly dampening speculation that he could be ennobled. Joyce Anelay, a Foreign Office minister, told the House of Lords: “When my right honourable friend the prime minister had a conversation on the telephone with Lord Trump,” prompting laughter among fellow peers.

Source: The Guardian November 17, 2016 15:11 UTC