Donald Trump brands Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson 'two very good guys' ahead of UK visit
They are politicians who have proved to have a divisive effect on Britons.
But to Donald Trump, Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage and Tory leader hopeful Boris Johnson are simply ''two very good guys'' with ''big powers'' who he may meet when he visits the country next week from June 3 to June 5.
However asked if he would endorse either one in a general election, the US President was reluctant to say who he would back.
Mr Trump made his comments about his good friends as he addressed waiting reporters on the South Lawn of the White House earlier on Thursday.
Mr Trump used the press conference to launch a fierce personal attack on former special counsel Robert Mueller, describing him as "totally conflicted" and said the two of them had had a ''business dispute''.
He made his comments a day after Mr Mueller made his first public statement about his investigation looking at the links between Mr Trump and Russia and his 2016 election campaign.
Mr Mueller made it clear his report did not exonerate Mr Trump but that charging him with a criminal offence was not an option.
Democratic presidential candidates have since called for Mr Trump to be impeached.
Mr Farage is still basking in the glory of his Brexit Party success in the European elections earlier this month, having secured a third of votes and 28 seats.
He has claimed he could win the next general election if Conservative leadership candidates fail to deliver Brexit by the end of October.
Mr Farage has made it clear that he has no trust in Mr Johnson or any of the other Tory hopefuls to deliver Brexit, and has pledged to field 650 candidates to stand for Westminster office.
Mr Johnson's Tory leadership campaign is now in in full swing and he is the front runner to replace Theresa May.
Asked if he would be meeting either politician when he visits the UK, Mr Trump replied: ''Well I may.
''Nigel Farage is a friend of mine. Boris is a friend of mine. They're two very good guys, very interesting people.
''Nigel's had a big victory. He's picked up 32% of the vote starting from nothing. And I think they're big powers over there. I think they've done a good job.''
However he refused to be drawn on whether he would back Mr Johnson or Mr Farage to succeed in a general election.
He said: ''Well I like them.
"I mean they're friends of mine but I haven't thought about supporting them.
"Maybe it's not my business to support people.
"But I have a lot of respect for both of those men.''
Mr Trump will arrive in London for a three-day state visit next week.
His itinerary will include a Buckingham Palace dinner and breakfast with Prime Minister Theresa May, a ceremonial welcome in the Buckingham Palace garden and a commemorative event in Portsmouth for the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings.
It has been mooted that he could use the opportunity to endorse Mr Johnson - something he is not averse to doing.
The last time Mr Trump came to the UK, in July 2018, he caused controversy by suggesting that Mr Johnson would make a "great prime minister".
The comments, came just days after Mr Johnson resigned as foreign secretary over Brexit, caused great embarrassment to Theresa May.