Nigel Farage has posted an image of himself with Donald Trump amid the Reform UK leader’s trip to the US.
The Clacton MP, who has been in Washington to give evidence to the House Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill, posted a photo on X of himself with the US leader early on Thursday.
Mr Farage is seen standing next to Mr Trump behind the president’s famous Resolute desk.
The post includes the caption: “It’s good to be back in the Oval Office.”
It comes after Mr Farage was dubbed a “Putin-loving free speech impostor and Trump sycophant” by Democrat representative Jamie Raskin.
At the hearing on Wednesday, Mr Farage likened Britain to North Korea over the UK’s approach to civil liberties.
He raised the arrest of Irish writer Linehan for comments on social media about transgender people, and the jailing of former childminder and wife of a Conservative councillor Lucy Connolly for stirring up racial hatred against asylum seekers in the aftermath of the Southport murders last year.
He denied proposing that Washington threaten the UK with trade sanctions amid scrutiny of his suggestion that the White House use “diplomacy and trade” in the battle for free speech.
However, before his evidence started, Democrat representative Mr Raskin urged Mr Farage to air his concerns at home in the Commons.
The congressman echoed Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s criticism of Mr Farage for missing Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday.
Mr Raskin said: “He should go and advance the positions he’s taking here in Congress today, in Parliament, which is meeting today, if he’s serious about it.
“To the people of the UK who think this Putin-loving free speech impostor and Trump sycophant will protect freedom in this country, come on over to America and see what Trump and Maga are doing to destroy our freedom … you might … think twice before you let Mr Farage make Britain great again.”
Responding, Mr Farage said: “I’m delighted to be acquainted with the charming Mr Raskin – delightful testimony you gave me earlier on with your speech.
“But hey, that’s fine. You can say what you like, I don’t care, because that’s what free speech is.
“In a sense, this has all been going wrong now for a couple of decades.”
Earlier at PMQs, Sir Keir had said, in response to a question about Reform UK’s opposition to the Online Safety Act, that the “honourable member for Clacton is not here representing his constituency, in the House he was elected to”.
He said Mr Farage had instead “flown to America to badmouth and talk down our country” and suggest the Americans impose sanctions on the UK, adding that “you cannot get more unpatriotic than that, it’s a disgrace”.
The Reform leader denied having suggested America threaten Britain with sanctions, saying: “No, I’m not – that was a falsehood put out by the British Prime Minister today.”
