--- description: Boris Johnson will succeed Theresa May as Prime Minister. World leaders have been showing their support on Twitter. title: World Leaders React to Boris Johnson Becoming UK Prime Minister image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt7e8850af410877a1/698a0052b21a9cfb66502163/gettyimages-1157398953.jpg?branch=production&width=2400&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [World](/section/world/) ## World Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close * [United Kingdom](/tag/united-kingdom/) ## United Kingdom Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # World Leaders React to Boris Johnson Becoming the U.K.'s New Prime Minister by [Julia Webster](/author/julia-webster/) ## Julia Webster Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jul 23, 2019 3:41 PM CUT  Newly elected Conservative party leader Boris Johnson poses outside the Conservative Leadership Headquarters on July 23, 2019 in London, England. After a month of hustings, campaigning and televised debates the members of the UK's Conservative and Unionist Party have voted for Boris Johnson to be their new leader and the country's next Prime Minister, replacing Theresa May. Newly elected Conservative party leader Boris Johnson poses outside the Conservative Leadership Headquarters on July 23, 2019 in London, England. After a month of hustings, campaigning and televised debates the members of the UK's Conservative and Unionist Party have voted for Boris Johnson to be their new leader and the country's next Prime Minister, replacing Theresa May.Dan Kitwood—Getty Images by [Julia Webster](/author/julia-webster/) ## Julia Webster Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jul 23, 2019 3:41 PM CUT Boris Johnson will succeed Theresa May as the U.K.’s prime minister after he [defeating Jeremy Hunt in a Conservative Party leadership race](https://time.com/5632412/boris-johnson-prime-minister-uk/ "undefined"). World leaders have been showing their support on Twitter. President Trump was one of the first to congratulate Johnson by declaring: “He will be great!” > [](https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1153628242529722369) In comments to the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, Trump also said Johnson was “tough” and “smart” and claimed he is popular in the UK because he’s known as “Britain Trump”. “We have a really good man who’s going to be the prime minister of the U.K. now,” said Trump. “They call him Britain Trump. And people are saying that’s a good thing. They like me over there. That’s what they wanted. That’s what they need.” Thousands [protested against Trump](https://time.com/5600472/protest-trump-state-visit-uk/ "undefined") in central London when he visited the U.K. in June. Trump dismissed the protests as “fake news” during a press conference with Theresa May. Chief Brexit negotiator Michel Barnier said he looked forward to working constructively with Johnson towards the divorce with the E.U. Johnson was a lead figure in [the campaign to leave the E.U.](https://time.com/5560485/brexit-questions-answers/ "undefined") in the 2016 referendum, and has repeatedly said he will keep the option of a “no deal” Brexit (leaving the bloc with no arrangements about what the relationship will be like in the future) on the table. > [](https://twitter.com/MichelBarnier/status/1153623849357008902) The Taoiseach (Irish PM), [Leo Varadkar](https://time.com/4856193/ireland-leo-varadkar-interview-brexit-trump/ "undefined"), also congratulated Johnson and said he looked forward to continuing Brexit talks and [prevent a hard Irish border](https://time.com/5325315/peace-ireland-border-brexit/ "undefined"), the issue that has come to symbolize the challenges of Brexit. > [](https://twitter.com/LeoVaradkar/status/1153664813614153728) Nigel Farage asked if Johnson would stick to his “do or die” pledge to deliver Brexit by October 31 deadline. > [](https://twitter.com/Nigel%5FFarage/status/1153625215949258752) Italy’s interior minister Matteo Salvini, the leader of the far-right Lega, congratulated Johnson for being called “more dangerous than the Lega” by Tony Blair in an interview [in Italian newspaper La Repubblica](https://rep.repubblica.it/pwa/generale/2019/07/22/news/tony%5Fblair%5Fbrexit%5Fintervista%5Flondra-231787790/?refresh%5Fce "undefined"). “Well done Boris Johnson. The fact that the left portray you as being ‘more dangerous than the Lega’ makes you even more likable,” he tweeted. > [](https://twitter.com/matteosalvinimi/status/1153639042199838720) Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau congratulated Johnson and said he looked forward to maintaining the close friendship between Canada and the U.K. > [](https://twitter.com/JustinTrudeau/status/1153690304744239104) Ivanka Trump initially seemed to be mentioning the Jamaican capital when she congratulated Johnson on “becoming the next Prime Minister of the United Kingston.” The tweet [has since been deleted](https://www.politico.eu/article/ivanka-trump-congratulates-boris-johnson-on-becoming-pm-of-jamaica/ "undefined"), reported Politico, and a replaced with a corrected one. > [](https://twitter.com/IvankaTrump/status/1153644088966766592) ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/5632520/world-leaders-react-boris-johnson/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/5632520/world-leaders-react-boris-johnson/"},"headline":"World Leaders React to Boris Johnson Becoming the U.K.'s New Prime Minister","datePublished":"2019-07-23T15:41:59.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-24T00:03:14.696Z","description":"Boris Johnson will succeed Theresa May as Prime Minister. 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