Donald Trump tells ITV he 'would apologise' for re-tweeting Britain First

Donald Trump has told ITV that he would apologise for re-tweeting Britain First - and insisted he is not a racist.

The US president told Good Morning Britain presenter Piers Morgan that he knew "nothing" about the organisation and was driven by his belief in fighting radical Islamic terror.

In extracts from his first interview with an international broadcaster - to be shown in full on ITV on Sunday night - Mr Trump also:

  • insisted he has a "very good relationship" with Theresa May

  • said "a lot of people" in the UK "like what I stand for"

  • dismissed his critics, saying he "doesn't care" what they think of him

Mr Trump caused outrage in Britain when he posted the three tweets last November, prompting Prime Minister Theresa May to say he was "wrong" to have done so.

Mr Trump told ITV that he did not mean to endorse "horrible, racist people" and that the re-tweet had not been a big story in the US.

But pressed for an apology by Morgan, he said: "I don't want to cause any difficulty for your country.

"If you are telling me they're horrible people, horrible, racist people, I would certainly apologise if you'd like me to do that."

Mr Trump said he was "often the least racist person that anybody is going to meet" and said he had known nothing about the organisation when he made the social media postings.

When Morgan described Britain First as "racist", the president said: "Of course I didn't know that. I know nothing about them and I know nothing about them today other than I read a little bit."

He continued: "I don't know who they are. I know nothing about them so I wouldn't be doing that.

"I am often the least racist person that anybody is going to meet. Certainly I wasn't endorsing anybody."

He said he had done the retweets because he was concerned about the threat posed by radical Islamic extremists.

Mr Trump said: "They had a couple of depictions of radical Islamic terror. It was done because I am a big believer in fighting radical Islamic terror. This was a depiction of radical Islamic terror."

The president said he has a 'very good' relationship with Theresa May. Credit: AP

Morgan interviewed Mr Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos, shortly after the US leader had given a press conference with Theresa May.

He reiterated earlier comments that his relationship with the Prime Minister was "very good".

"I support her. I support a lot of what she does and says," he said.

Mr Trump is expected to visit the UK later this year, having recently cancelled a planned visit to London for the opening of the new US embassy.

Responding to suggestions that some figures in the UK would like him to be banned from visiting the country, he said: "I haven't heard about banning.

"But I think a lot of the people in your country like what I stand for, they respect what I stand for and I do stand for touch borders."

And asked what he thought of those in the UK who disapproved of him. Mr Trump replied: "I don't care.

"It's just one of those things. I don't say anything because I don't care."

Watch President Trump - The Piers Morgan Interview on Sunday at 10pm on ITV.