The internet is fact-checking Trump's first UK interview

The president-elect touched on a wide range of issues in an interview with former Tory leadership contender Michael Gove.
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Donald Trump has given his first UK interview -- with former Tory leadership contender Michael Gove -- in which he praised Britain for the Brexit vote and said he wants a trade deal with the UK done quickly.

Published in The Sunday Times, the interview touched on many other subjects, from Trump's positive stance on Russia and Putin to calling Nato "obsolete."

But people on Twitter said that some of the statements were factually incorrect:

Ireland

Trump complained that the EU blocked plans to build a 2.8 km (1.74 mile) rock barrier at his Doonbeg golf resort in Ireland. In fact, it was the Clare County Council that stated it didn't have sufficient evidence to conclude that the barrier would not adversely impact the environment:

A quick and fair trade deal

Trump said: "I’m a big fan of the UK, we’re gonna work very hard to get it done quickly and done properly. Good for both sides."

However, under EU rules, the UK can't make any trade deals with individual member states or non-EU countries until Britain has actually left the EU, which will take at least two years:

Illegals

Trump said Merkel made "one catastrophic mistake" by welcoming "all these illegals," in reference to the Syrian refugees.

But people were quick to note that refugees are not illegals:

Russia

After opening up for the first time about the possibility that Russia hacked the U.S. presidential election, Trump told Gove that "we should be ready to trust Putin":

What's Brexit?

Others pointed out that Trump didn't seem to know what Brexit was until a few months ago:

Topics Donald Trump

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