British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband stated that his previous critical remarks about U.S. President Donald Trump were not a topic of discussion during his meeting with U.S. Senator Marco Rubio in Washington D.C.
Miliband, who has been tasked with strengthening the United Kingdom's relationship with the United States, told reporters that his past descriptions of Trump as "racist" and "misogynist" were not raised in his 90-minute conversation with Rubio at the U.S. State Department.
"We had a very productive 90-minute conversation, in which we talked about, yes, about Iran, but about how we can stand shoulder to shoulder with Ukraine against Russian aggression, about how we can work towards relieving the terrible suffering we're seeing in Gaza, and a two-state solution for security of the Israeli and Palestinian people. And we talked about a range of other issues," Miliband said.
He emphasized the enduring strength of the U.S.-UK partnership, calling the U.S. Britain's "closest ally" across economic, defense, security, and intelligence spheres, a bond he asserted endures through different administrations.
Following the talks, Senator Rubio indicated that he had urged Miliband to encourage Britain and other NATO allies to increase their defense spending. He stated that the discussion included "the need for Europe to take a greater role in its own security," along with efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz and prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
Rubio later posted on X, formerly Twitter, "In my meeting with UK Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, we discussed the need for Europe to take a greater role in its own security. We also reaffirmed our shared commitment to open transit in the Strait of Hormuz and ensuring Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon."
Prior to this U.S. visit, Miliband reportedly earned the nickname "Ed Miliwatt" among some Trump administration figures, a jest referencing his past advocacy for the Net Zero agenda. In 2018, Miliband had publicly labeled Trump a "racist" and "misogynist" and criticized his "very scary authoritarian tendencies."
Washington's ambassador to the UK, Warren Stephens, had previously suggested that Miliband had been "wrong" in his past characterizations of Trump, expressing hope that his views had evolved. Stephens affirmed a commitment to working with Miliband despite past disagreements on environmental issues.
Miliband also highlighted discussions on securing a "lasting ceasefire" in the Gaza conflict, arguing it would help alleviate the cost-of-living crisis for British citizens concerned about rising energy prices. He stated that achieving this ceasefire was the single most impactful measure to address such concerns. Miliband had been invited to Washington by Rubio following their initial meeting at a foreign ministers' summit in the Philippines the previous month. He was observed smiling and shaking hands with Rubio, and he sidestepped reporters' shouted questions regarding his prior views on the U.S. President before the meeting commenced.