U.S. President Donald Trump unveiled the first of his post tariff Liberation Day trade deals with the United Kingdom, revealing increased market access with “one of our closest and most cherished allies”.
The United Kingdom and the United States of America are to sign a “tremendous trade deal” and enter into a “economic security alignment”, President Trump said at the Oval Office during a conference with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
Noting the announcement came on a “special day” of the 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day when “we won the war together”, President Trump hailed the “breakthrough trade deal” with “one of our closest and most cherished allies” and said:
With this deal the UK joins the United States in affirming that reciprocity and fairness is an essential and vital principle of international trade. The deal includes billions of dollars of increased market access for American exports, especially in agriculture, dramatically increasing access for American beef, ethanol, and virtually all the products created by our great farmers.
… In addition the Uk will eliminate or reduce numerous non-tariff barriers that unfairly discriminate against American products, but I think this is turning out to be a great deal for both countries as it will be really great for the UK also. They are opening up, their country is a little closed, and we appreciate that.
Supplementary details state the deal will also open up increased export opportunities for British businesses to the American market, including tariffs slashed for British cars exported to the United States, and for specialist equipment like Rolls Royce jet engines.
Flanked by Vice President JD Vance and British Ambassador Peter Mandelson, President Trump also spoke of the “historic step” of inducting the United Kingdom into an “economic security alignment… the first of its kind”. He said of this development: “We feel very, very comfortable with that because it’s been a great ally, truly one of our great allies… both countries have agreed that economic security is national security, and will be working together as allies to ensure we have a strong industrial base, appropriate export controls, and protections for key technologies and industries.”
Breitbart News Economics Editor John Carney interpreted this as meaning:
The Trump administration has explained many times that “economic security is national security.” What this means is that creating secure supply chains for everything from energy to economically important manufactured goods is central to the preservation of the free world. Bringing the UK into our economic security blanket appears to mean opening the UK to U.S. markets in energy, agriculture, and manufacturing so that it is no longer dependent on unstable rivals such as Russian and China for vital goods.
Tariffs for steel and aluminium will fall to zero, reducing UK reliance on Chinese steel.
President said many nations had been beating a path to his door asking for such deals, stating “by the way we have many meetings planned today and tomorrow. Every country wants to be making deals”. There is some prestige for the United Kingdom to be the first to sign, but most important perhaps is Trump’s previous comments that the first movers will get the best deals.
This story is developing and more follows
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