Elections

Brexit campaign leader Farage meets with Trump, says 'don't underestimate this guy'

Don't underestimate Trump: Nigel Farage
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Don't underestimate Trump: Nigel Farage

Brexit campaign leader Nigel Farage, a supporter of Donald Trump, told CNBC on Monday he found the U.S. president-elect to be reflective on the task ahead and concerned about how to create jobs and wealth.

"Don't underestimate this guy," Farage said on "Squawk Box." "He's made a big, big success of his business career. And he intends to be a successful president, and I think he may well be."

Farage, the former and now interim leader of the U.K. Independence Party, met with Trump in New York on Saturday at Trump Tower, suggesting he could act as a go-between to help smooth British-American relations.

U.K. Prime Minister Theresa May is not expected to meet with Trump until early next year. Farage has suggested May's criticisms of Trump in the early days of the campaign could damage ties with Washington.

Trump's surprise victory has often been compared to the poll-defying June vote by British citizens for the U.K. to leave the European Union trading bloc.

"What Trump believes in, as I believe in, is nation-state democracy — that we should be controlling our own borders; making our own laws; and yes, trading with each other, cooperating with each other, being good neighbors,' Farage said.

During the U.S. race, Farage showed up at some of the presidential debates in support of Trump and appeared with the Republican on the campaign trail.

— Reuters contributed to this report.