Within an hour of entering Downing Street on Monday, newly appointed British Prime Minister Andy Burnham held his first official call with a foreign leader, speaking to US President Donald Trump about the security of the Strait of Hormuz, North Sea energy extraction, and bilateral trade. According to a readout from Downing Street, Burnham also used the conversation to invite Trump to the G20 summit scheduled to take place in Manchester in 2027. The call was followed immediately by a separate conversation with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, signalling an early diplomatic push by the seventh British prime minister in a decade.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump described the exchange as a “very good conversation” and said the two men had discussed “North Sea Oil, Trade, the Military Alliance, Demining of the Hormuz Strait, and many other topics.” He added that Burnham “has a big job ahead of him, but he will be able to do it and, of course, the United States will be there to help.” Trump confirmed that a face-to-face meeting would take place “in the not too distant future” without specifying a date. From London, Burnham’s office stated that the prime minister had underlined Britain’s commitment to defence and security and expressed support for the safe reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which has been effectively blocked since the start of the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran, driving up global energy prices.

The call marks a potential recalibration of a relationship that had grown strained under Burnham’s predecessor, Keir Starmer. Viewed from Washington, Starmer’s initial refusal to authorise the use of British bases for strikes on Iran, followed by a later reversal, created friction, as did differences over immigration, energy policy, and technology regulation. Trump had previously said he knew little about Burnham, describing him as “extremely liberal” and someone unlikely to open the North Sea to expanded drilling. Burnham’s Labour Party manifesto pledged not to issue new oil and gas licences, though British media reports indicate he has not ruled out approving new production. The discussion on demining the Hormuz waterway provides a concrete area of operational cooperation, given the strategic importance of the strait for global energy shipments and the Royal Navy’s historical role in regional maritime security.

Both sides characterised the call as constructive, yet underlying policy divergences persist. Burnham’s invitation to Trump for the Manchester G20, confirmed by British officials, suggests an effort to build a working rapport while maintaining Labour’s domestic agenda. The UK’s stated commitment to defence and security, coupled with the offer to host the American president, is seen in London as a signal of continuity in the transatlantic alliance. No date has been set for the leaders’ meeting, and the dossier remains at an early stage, with the next concrete step expected to be further diplomatic contacts ahead of the summit.