Trump praises May: ‘Probably a better negotiator than I am’

President Trump on Tuesday ditched his past criticism of Theresa May, saying the British prime minister negotiated a good agreement to pull the U.K. out of the European Union.

During a joint news conference in London, May referenced Trump’s previous suggestion that she sue the EU in order to secure better terms. Trump responded that he “would have sued and settled, maybe, but you never know.”

{mosads}“She’s probably a better negotiator than I am,” the president said of the outgoing British leader, adding that she “got it” when it came to brokering a withdrawal agreement.

“Perhaps you won’t be given the credit that you deserve if they do something, but I think you deserve a lot of credit. I really do,” Trump told May.

Trump’s change in tone comes three days before May will step down as prime minister and Conservative Party leader in large part over her failure to pass a Brexit deal through Parliament.

Trump had repeatedly criticized May’s handling of Brexit in the days and months leading up to his state visit to the U.K.

In March, the president said the British leader ignored his advice and that the issue was “tearing a country apart.”

“I will tell you, I’m surprised at how badly it’s all gone from the standpoint of a negotiation,” he said at the White House. “But I gave the prime minister my ideas on how to negotiate it. And I think you would’ve been successful. She didn’t listen to that, and that’s fine.”