Amid an escalating war of words between Washington and the European Union, the Prime Minister told the US President that “multilateral action was the only way to resolve the problem of global overcapacity in all parties’ interests”, a Downing Street spokeswoman said.

Mrs May’s de facto deputy also earlier hit out at Mr Trump’s trade rhetoric.

Cabinet Office minister David Lidington told the BBC’s Sunday Politics programme: “I just think that the United States is not taking an advisable course in threatening a trade war.

“Trade wars don’t do anybody any good.”