Donald Trump suggested Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer could use the military to stop illegal migration at a news conference marking the end of the US president's second state visit to the UK.
Trump said he discussed migration issues with Sir Keir during a meeting at his country residence Chequers.
The US president talked about his policies to secure borders in the US and said the UK faced a similar challenge with migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats.
You have people coming in and I told the prime minister I would stop it, and it doesn't matter if you call out the military, it doesn't matter what means you use, Trump said.
It destroys countries from within and we're actually now removing a lot of the people that came into our country.
Since his return to the White House in January, Trump has stepped up deportations of illegal immigrants and cracked down on unlawful border crossings.
In two days of pomp and pageantry, the US president was hosted at Windsor Castle by King Charles and the Royal Family, and attended a state banquet before his political talks with the prime minister.
The President and First Lady Melania Trump departed the UK from Stansted Airport shortly after the news conference.
In a wide-ranging Q&A session with journalists, the leaders touched on various topics including Palestinian statehood, free speech, and the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
The pair emphasized the "special relationship" between the UK and the US, announcing a new tech deal to foster cooperation in artificial intelligence and emerging technologies.
Trump's military suggestion on border control aligns with his historical stance on tightening immigration policies, while Starmer remarked on the UK's serious approach to the issue of illegal migration.
More than 30,000 people have crossed the Channel in small boats so far this year, a point of significant political concern that has prompted increased scrutiny on the UK government’s handling of immigration and border security.
