Morgan McSweeney, who previously served as a top aide to the UK Prime Minister, described Donald Trump as "much funnier than I expected him to be" in a recent interview. McSweeney recounted an instance where officials in the room were "barely able to contain themselves" during a phone call with Trump.
According to McSweeney, the former U.S. President made a joke about foxes eating birds killed by "windmills," which he referred to as his preferred term for wind turbines. Trump reportedly elaborated on the joke, suggesting that as the foxes consumed so many birds, they became lazy and fat, to the point where their species became unrecognizable.
When asked if Trump was attempting to be humorous, McSweeney responded affirmatively, stating, "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Definitely."
In the same interview, McSweeney also commented on potential leadership within the Labour Party, suggesting that Andy Burnham would be the right person to succeed the current Prime Minister. He expressed optimism about Burnham's potential and supported his proposal for a Downing Street unit based in Manchester, not viewing it as a mere "gimmick."
"If at the top of government there are people who don't just have a desk somewhere outside London but actually live their whole lives outside of London, I think that will be a good thing," McSweeney said of Burnham's plan. He acknowledged that the idea might be unpopular but believed it was a good one that should be pursued, with logistical challenges to be addressed.
Reflecting on the end of the Prime Minister's tenure, McSweeney admitted he was too saddened to watch the entirety of the resignation speech. He also indicated that he intends to move in a "completely different direction" professionally and has no plans to return to British politics in the "foreseeable" future, committing to staying out of politics for at least the next few years.