President Donald Trump: The special relationship between our 2 countries has been one of the great forces in history for justice and for peace and by the way, my mother was born in Scotland, Stornoway, which is serious Scotland.

Today the United States renews our deep bond with Britain – military, financial, cultural and political – we have one of the great bonds. We pledge our lasting support to this most special relationship. Together, America and the United Kingdom are a beacon for prosperity and the rule of law. That is why the United States respects the sovereignty of the British people and their right of self-determination….

Prime Minister Theresa May: On defence and security co-operation, we’re united in our recognition of NATO as the bulwark of our collective defence, and today, we’ve reaffirmed our unshakeable commitment to this alliance.

Mr President, I think you said, confirmed that you were 100% behind NATO. But we’re also discussing the importance of NATO continuing to ensure it is as equipped to fight terrorism and cyber warfare as it is to fight more conventional forms of war. And I’ve agreed to continue my efforts to encourage my fellow European leaders to deliver on their commitments to spend 2% of their GDP on defence so that the burden is more fairly shared. It’s only by investing properly in our defence that we can ensure we’re properly equipped to face our shared challenges together.

Excerpts from press conference with President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Theresa May, January 27, 2017.

Image: President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Theresa May, Jan 27, 2017 (Photo: Crown)