Nigel Farage has said he’ll do whatever he can “formally or informally” to improve UK-US relations
Nigel Farage may have been thwarted in becoming UK's ambassador to the US, but he's still ready and waiting to help out Donald Trump.
Ministers quite quickly poured cold water on Donald Trump's unconventional call on Twitter for the former Ukip leader to be appointed UK ambassador to the US last month, saying there was no vacancy and current British ambassador Sir Kim Darroch was doing the job just fine, thanks.
Many people would like to see @Nigel_Farage represent Great Britain as their Ambassador to the United States. He would do a great job!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 22, 2016
But has that knocked the wind out of Farage's sails? Not in the slightest, if his comments to CNN are anything to go by.
Read more: Paul Nuttall has been elected as Ukip leader
When asked if he could see himself taking a formal diplomatic position, Farage said: "I would like, formally or informally, to do whatever I can to bring our great nations a bit closer together."
He added: "And I just happen to know a few people in his administration. I've clearly got Trump's confidence."
Farage was very publicly the first British politician to meet Trump personally after his victory over Hillary Clinton in the US election, and visited him at Trump Tower in New York.
Farage has been filling in as interim leader for Ukip, after the party was left in disarray when his successor Diane James left within days and then leadership favourite Steven Woolfe quit after getting involved in an altercation with another of the party's politicians.
Paul Nuttall was appointed Ukip leader on Monday.
As for Trump's relations with the UK Prime Minister, he spoke to Theresa May by phone, after numerous other world leaders, including Ireland, Japan, Israel and Egypt.
Read more: Arise Lord Farage? Theresa May has refused to rule it out
The Prime Minister wrote to congratulate him on his victory and also issued a statement saying that Britain and America "are, and will remain, strong and close partners on trade, security and defence".
Earlier in the week Trump and May agreed that more NATO members need to meet the alliance's defence target and discussed the President-elect's transition plans.