Biden, UK's Johnson talk trade and trains in White House meeting

Johnson had once worried his warm relationship with former President Donald Trump would hurt relations under Biden, but the two men appeared to get on well.

Biden told Johnson he looked forward to being in the United Kingdom for a United Nations conference on global warming later this year.

"We need you there," Johnson told Biden.

"Oh, we're going to be there," the president replied. "With bells on, as they say."

Trump, a Republican, had pulled the United States out of the Paris climate accord. Biden brought the country back into the international treaty after he came into office in January.

The president said the two leaders would discuss trade in their meeting. Britain is eager to seal a U.S.-U.K. trade deal.

"We're going to talk about trade a little bit today, and we're going to have to work that through," Biden said.

Johnson took the Amtrak train from the UN General Assembly in New York to Washington for the White House get-together.

"They love you," Johnson said to Biden, seemingly referring to the U.S. railway staff. "Well, they should," replied Biden, a regular train commuter for more than 30 years, to laughter.

Johnson's team regards the visit as a triumph, demonstrating that Britain can thrive on the world stage after its divorce last year from the European Union.

The meeting comes amid a U.S. rift with EU rival France, in which Britain played a crucial part. A submarine deal the United States and Britain recently announced with Australia came at France's expense, prompting France to withdraw its ambassadors to the United States and Australia and cancel a defense meeting with Britain.

Johnson called on two reporters from the British press corps while Biden did not call on any from the U.S. side. The press was ushered out afterwards amid loud yelling from White House press aides.