Trump says U.S., Britain engaged on ‘nice’ commerce deal

U.S. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer attend a press convention on the White Home in Washington, D.C., U.S., February 27, 2025
| Picture Credit score: Reuters

U.S. President Donald Trump held out the prospect of a “nice” post-Brexit commerce deal that would keep away from tariffs on Britain on Thursday (February 27, 2025) — as he hailed Prime Minister Keir Starmer as a troublesome negotiator.

“We’re going to have a fantastic commerce settlement, by some means,” Mr. Trump instructed reporters throughout a joint press convention with Mr. Starmer on the White Home, including {that a} new deal may come collectively “fairly rapidly.”

Professional-Brexit politicians dangled the promise of a U.S.-U.Ok. commerce deal as one of many advantages of leaving the European Union forward of the 2016 referendum on EU membership.

However they didn’t agree a deal following the vote.

Billionaire property tycoon Mr. Trump, who authored a ebook known as the “Artwork of the Deal,” hailed former human rights lawyer Starmer’s negotiating abilities throughout the press convention.

“You’re a really powerful negotiator — I’m unsure I like that, however that’s okay,” Mr. Trump joked.

Requested if Mr. Starmer had managed to influence him to drop the specter of tariffs, the U.S. President chuckled and mentioned: “He tried. he was working exhausting, I’ll inform you that.”

“He earned regardless of the hell they pay him over there,” he added.

Since taking workplace, Mr. Trump has threatened to impose sweeping tariffs in opposition to buying and selling companions with whom the US has a big commerce deficit, together with the European Union and China.

Mr. Trump’s feedback on a deal sign that his administration is eager to revive the commerce talks with Britain, which made little progress throughout his predecessor Joe Biden’s time period in workplace.

Mr. Starmer mentioned he had had a “productive dialogue” with Mr. Trump, including that the US and Britain have been now engaged on a brand new “financial deal.”

“We may very effectively find yourself with an actual commerce deal the place the tariffs wouldn’t be needed,” Mr. Trump instructed reporters, including that the eventual deal might be “actually terrific for each nations.”

On Thursday (February 27, 2025), Mr. Starmer defended Britain’s commerce steadiness with the US, calling it “truthful, balanced and reciprocal.”