Donald Trump slams Angela Merkel over "catastrophic" immigrant policy

Donald Trump has praised Britons for voting to leave the EU and promised to secure a rapid trade deal with Britain in his first UK interview.

The US president-elect said Britons voted for Brexit because they wanted their own identity and it will "end up being a great thing" as he gave his opinions on everything from US-UK relations and the ongoing migrant crisis.

He blasted Chancellor Angela Merkel for Germany's open-door refugee policy which has allowed a wave of a million migrants into the country.

In an interview with The Times just days before he will be sworn in as the 45th president in US history, Trump, 70, predicted that other countries would follow Britain out of the EU and said he will soon invite Prime Minister Theresa May to visit him at the White House.

He disclosed that the Prime Minister had written to him shortly after Christmas with a copy of Winston Churchill's address to the -Americans after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour.

On the prospect of a trade deal with the UK, Trump said: "We're gonna work very hard to get it done quickly and done properly. Good for both sides."

In contrast to outgoing President Barack Obama, who said Britain would be at the "back of the queue" when it came to a trade deal with the US, Trump made clear it would be a priority for his administration.

He made clear that - unlike his predecessor who urged British voters to back Remain - he welcomed last June's referendum vote, and blamed the outcome on the migrant crisis.

"People, countries want their own identity and the UK wanted its own identity," he said. " Brexit is going to end up being a great thing."

He said he is looking forward to visiting Britain as president and praised the Queen, saying his mother was a keen royal watcher.

Regarding Merkel's immigration measures, he said: "I think she made one very catastrophic mistake and that was taking all of these illegals."

Trump also discussed the prospect of a nuclear arms reduction deal with Russia, saying stocks of nuclear weapons should be cut "very substantially".

He said he would offer to end US sanctions against Russia in return for a nuclear arms reduction deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

He said Russia's intervention in the war in Syria has been "a very bad thing" that led to a "terrible humanitarian situation".

Trump was critical of Nato, saying it was obsolete because it had not defended itself against terror attacks, but the military alliance was still very important to him.

While discussing foreign policy he urged Britain to veto any new UN Security Council resolution critical of Israel.

He also announced that he would appoint his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, to broker a peace deal in the Middle East.

In one of his first acts as president, Trump signalled that orders would be signed next Monday to strengthen US borders.

They could include travel restrictions on Europeans coming to the US as well as "extreme vetting" of those entering from parts of the world known for Islamist terrorism.

In a separate interview with Germany's Bild newspaper, Trump threatened to impose a border tax of 35 per cent on cars that BMW plans to build at a new factory in Mexico and export to the US.