Theresa May set to be one of the first foreign leaders to meet Donald Trump

Theresa May will be one of the first foreign leaders to hold talks with President Donald Trump, it has been reported.

The Prime Minister could fly out to Washington DC as early as next Thursday to meet with Mr Trump and visit “for a couple of days”, government sources were quoted as saying.

Plans to meet Ms May were pushed forward by Steve Bannon, Mr Trump’s chief strategist, as they look to secure a strong relationship with Britain, according to The Telegraph.

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Despite overtly criticising Mr Trump during the 2016 campaign period, Ms May is hopeful of being able to work effectively with the new President, Downing Street reportedly said.

Ms May had previously suggested she disapproved of the way Mr Trump’s campaign had been conducted and said he was "just plain wrong" on his comments about policing in London and British Muslims.

“I take a simple view about the way I like to see campaigns being conducted,” Ms May said at the time.

“I like them to be conducted in a calm and measured way with proper consideration of the issues.”

The details of the trip have apparently been worked on over the last week and Ms May is set to visit without any other cabinet ministers.

Officials on both sides of the Atlantic are allegedly intent on emulating the relationship that Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher shared in the 1980s.

“They are really, really keen to capture the Reagan-Thatcher idea: A new populist in the White House and a strong woman in Number 10. They want to rekindle that as soon as possible,” a government source told the Telegraph.

There are currently no plans to visit the President’s country retreat in Maryland, Camp David, and instead it is thought Mr Trump will opt for a more “business-like” approach.

Ms May is likely to bring up the topic of a trade deal between the two countries as well as seeking assurances over Mr Trump’s stance on Russia and Nato.