President Obama caused quite a stir when he weighed into UK's debate about exiting the EU after penning an op-ed expressing the United States' concerns if they did.
This also resulted in highly critical and racist attacks by Conservatives across the sea, who were not happy with our president's "meddling" in their affairs.
However, that didn't stop President Obama from standing firm on those views during a joint presser today with the UK's Prime Minister..
The first question was asked by an ITV reporter, who said, "...in various degrees of politeness, they've said to you, that you should keep your views to yourself. With that in mind, Mr. President, do you still think it was the right decision to intervene in this debate and what happens if the UK does decide in June to leave the EU?"
President Obama, responded with a lengthy answer, and explained in detail that he felt it was a good idea for the English people to know how their valued ally feels about the possible exit from the EU, and he didn't mince words when it came to future trade deals when he said, “The UK is going to be at the back of the queue.”
The US president said a trade agreement would not happen any time soon in the event of Britain leaving because it was better to strike a transatlantic deal with Europe as a whole.
The highly significant intervention is a boost for David Cameron and the campaign for Britain to stay in the EU at a time when polls suggest the race is close ahead of June referendum.
In a joint press conference with Cameron at the Foreign Office, Obama said he was delivering the warning that the UK is better off in the EU because “part of being friends is being honest”.
“I think it’s fair to say maybe some point down the line but it’s not going to happen any time soon because our focus is on negotiating with the EU,” he said. “The UK is going to be at the back of the queue.”
He said it would not be a priority “not because we don’t have a special relationship” but because it was more efficient to have one agreement with a lot of countries as a bloc rather than piecemeal arrangements with each one.
