SEATTLE — It wouldn’t be a surprise if David Cameron is playing it safe in Washington, D.C.

The last time the foreign secretary urged US lawmakers to release funds to Ukraine, Donald Trump loyalist and fire-breathing congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene told him to “kiss my a**” and ” Worried about his own country.”

Lord Cameron’s latest visit comes at a most sensitive time.

After a key visit to Mr Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort where he discussed Ukraine, NATO and Gaza, he flew to Washington and met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The real work in Washington, D.C., however, is on Capitol Hill, where a $95 billion aid package for Ukraine has been stalled in the House of Representatives for months as populist conservatives try to block further funding.

“There was definitely a very difficult decision [on whether to travel to Florida to see Mr Trump],” a former British diplomat who served in the United States told us I.

“It’s normal to meet with other party leaders, but this time it’s Trump. Would you be accused of helping him in a political campaign? I think that shows how important this issue is to Cameron and he knows he has to Try to prove it.”

Loren Culp, a loyal Trump supporter from Washington state, said I: “America is deeply in debt, our borders are overrun, and our hospitals, schools, local law enforcement and other services cannot handle the influx of illegal immigrants.

“Britain needs to mind its own business.”

Mr. Culp is best known for his failed bid to oust Congressman Dan Newhouse in 2022. Newhouse was one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot.

Meanwhile, Ms. Greene has made headlines in the United States as she ramps up efforts to oust House Speaker Mike Johnson, in large part over Ukraine.

But Cameron persisted. He managed to meet with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, who like President Joe Biden has been a staunch supporter of Ukraine. But Mr Cameron did not meet with Mr Johnson as Mr Cameron had advertised in advance.

In a further blow, national security adviser Jake Sullivan also canceled a meeting with the foreign secretary, reportedly replacing it with a phone call following a “diary conflict” related to the Japanese prime minister’s visit.

Johnson’s snub was embarrassing, but understandable, because the last thing the Speaker wanted, from a purely cynical stance, was to host a foreign politician lobbying Congress to fund Kyiv.

“Johnson is in a very difficult position,” the former British diplomat said. “He probably wanted to do the right thing and vote on the issue. But Greene was pretty smart. Instead of going on a rant against Johnson, she wrote a letter laying out her views, which seemed to have the support of some Republicans .”

However, many will welcome Cameron’s outreach. Survey shows Americans are divided over support for Ukraine.

A poll earlier this year found that 55% of Republicans believed the United States was spending too much on Ukraine. Meanwhile, 65% of Democrats think the U.S. spends just enough or too little.

Could Cameron’s visit have a real impact on Parliament Hill?

“The likelihood of that happening is very high because we have a group of weak, compromised politicians, not just in the White House,” Culp said.

Cameron’s visit to Mar-a-Lago reminded the world that US polls give the one-time star a 50% chance of being elected president. Celebrity Apprentice Can return to the White House.

The UK, like all countries, is preparing for this possibility, some more anxious than others about the prospect. The British diplomat believes: “Cameron feels it is better to do it now.”

The foreign secretary declined to reveal specific details of his meeting in Florida, saying the event was “private”.

He will surely be pleased that Mr. Trump has not responded negatively to his outreach. At least not yet.