Boris Johnson's hopes of a trade deal with the US could be scuppered by his decision to allow Chinese firm Huawei into the UK's 5G network.

Asked if the decision would be a dealbreaker today, US Vice President Mike Pence would only say: "We'll see."

He said: “We are profoundly disappointed because look, when I went at the president’s direction in September I met with Prime Minister Johnson, and I told him the moment the UK was out of Brexit we were willing to begin to negotiate a free trade arrangement with the UK.

“But we just don’t believe that utilising the assets and technologies of Huawei is consistent with the security or privacy interests of the UK, of the United States and it remains a real issue between our two countries.

“We’re anxious to build our economic ties, but we have made it clear to Prime Minister Johnson and to officials in the UK, that as we expand opportunities to build out 5G across this country."

“We want to see our companies meet the needs in the United States and UK and among all our allies without the compromise of privacy and the compromise of security that necessarily comes with Huawei and control by the Chinese Communist Party.”

It followed claims that Donald Trump was so furious at Boris Johnson’s decision that he ended a phone call with the PM by slamming the phone down.

Number 10 did not deny reports the US President had been “apoplectic” when Mr Johnson informed him of the decision.

And the PM’s deputy spokesman wouldn’t be drawn on whether the bust-up would damage Britain’s chances of a Brexit trade deal with the US.

It comes as Mr Johnson nominated Dame Karen Pierce to be Britain’s new ambassador to the US.

The straight-talking top diplomat – currently the UK's Ambassador to the United Nations – will be the first woman to hold the coveted top job after the resignation of Sir Kim Darroch.

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  Britain's new US Ambassador confirmed as Karen Pierce – who Trump called 'fab'

Mr Johnson’s anticipated trip to the Washington later this month has been postponed until at least March, according to The Sun.

And it could be postponed even further.

British officials were reportedly taken aback by the force of President Trump's language when the Prime Minister telephoned to explain the move.

It comes after Mr Johnson defied repeated lobbying from the US to rule that the Chinese firm could play a limited role in the infrastructure.

Washington had warned allowing a Chinese supplier access to the country's critical communications networks would constitute a major security risk.

US officials repeatedly warned they would withhold intelligence-sharing from any ally which did so.

Outgoing ambassador Sir Kim was forced to quit last summer when his memo on Trump's "inept" White House was leaked to a Sunday newspaper.

Ambassador Pierce is already a well-known figure in the US, after appearing on cable news channels to discuss Britain's foreign policy.

Boris Johnson's deputy spokesman said: “The Prime Minister is clear that Dame Karen is an outstanding and accomplished diplomat and he is delighted that she will be representing us in Washington."

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  Donald Trump 'flew into apoplectic rage' at Boris Johnson over Huawei deal

Diplomatic figures have suggested that the US President gets on well with Britain's new top diplomat, with reports he once described as "fab" to US diplomats after encountering her at the UN.

The government ‘lifer’ was made a Dame last year after almost four decades’ of service, having joined the the Foreign Office in 1981.

She served in Tokyo, Washington, Afghanistan and the Balkans, and moved to New York in 2006 as Deputy Permanent Representative and Ambassador at the UK Mission to the UN.

Dame Karen said today in a statement: “I am honoured to have been asked to represent the UK in the US. I think it is the UK’s single most important relationship. There is a deep bond between Britain and the US, built on many pillars.

“We have a fantastic cross-Government team across the US and I look forward to working with them to strengthen and even further deepen the special relationship between our two countries and peoples.”

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