JD Vance, Donald Trump’s running mate, calls the UK a ‘truly Islamic nuclear-armed state’

JD Vance, who was named former US President Donald Trump’s running mate, sparked controversy after saying the UK under the Labor Party could be the first “truly Islamic” country with nuclear weapons.

Vance said he was discussing with a friend which country would be the first “truly Islamic country to obtain a nuclear weapon.”

“Maybe it’s Iran, maybe Pakistan counts, and then we decide maybe it’s actually the UK, as the Labor Party has just taken control,” he said last week at a conference for UK Conservatives in last week.

Meanwhile, British Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner played down Vance’s comments, saying he had a history of making “fruitful” comments.

Britain would work with whoever wins the US presidential election in November, said Angela Rayner, adding that “I do not recognize that characterization”.

“We are interested in governing on behalf of Britain and also working with our international allies,” she said.

In one of his first interviews after being named vice president, Vance also called China the biggest threat to America, highlighting his administration’s likely aggressive stance toward Beijing if elected.

The Ohio senator made the comments in an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity on Monday. When asked about the war in Ukraine, Vance said Trump would negotiate with Moscow and Kiev to “quickly bring this issue to a close so that America can focus on the real issue, which is China.”

“This is the biggest threat to our country and we are completely distracted from it,” he said

Vance, 39, was chosen by Trump days after a failed assassination attempt on the former president upended what had already been a chaotic presidential race.