US President Donald Trump has claimed that a new UK–US trade deal could happen “very quickly” as a result of a warm meeting between himself and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The deal—if it happens—could see the UK exempt from possible tariffs threatened by the Trump administration. The president had previously stated that “tariff” was the “most beautiful word in the dictionary”. The two leaders shared a warm embrace which the prime minister hopes can translate to favourable diplomatic relations concerning the two countries after a turbulent week. Despite the affection, the lack of any concrete agreement from President Trump was notable.
Before President Trump’s very public bullying of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy swept everything else from the newsfeed, he had spoken admirably of Keir Starmer after their meeting in the White House. “We like each other” asserted the president, “He loves his country and I love my country and we have two countries which have gotten along for the longest time”. The president went so far as to compliment the prime minister’s “beautiful accent” as the cordiality between the two men showed no signs of letting up.
When asked about Starmer’s attempt at negotiating a positive trade deal for the UK and an exemption from tariffs, the president maintained that “he tried […] he was working hard I’ll tell you that” and that the prime minister was a “tough negotiator” who “earned whatever the hell they pay him over there”.
Amongst the issues of negotiating a US commitment to NATO and the protection of the sovereignty of Ukraine, Starmer’s task of securing a UK–US trade deal and a subsequent exemption from the imposition of tariffs was seen as a top priority. President Trump had previously stated a blanket 25% tariff on all US imported steel and aluminium would be a top priority whilst on the campaign trail last year and such a move could hit the UK steel industry.
Within the joint press conference Starmer referred to a UK–US economic deal which would see both countries begin to work on the potential of new artificial intelligence technology. He proposed that “instead of over-regulating these technologies, we’re seizing the opportunities they offer”. He continued: “Artificial Intelligence could cure cancer. That could be a moon shot for our age, and that’s how we’ll keep delivering for our people”.
Despite the positive direction which the meeting took, there was no sign of a sincere binding agreement from President Trump and the lack of such agreement cannot instill confidence in any diplomatic agreement for the two countries. If President Trump has guaranteed anything since his second inauguration on the 20th of January, it is that one cannot really rely on him for anything. The president has now twice delayed the tariffs he imposed on neighbouring Mexico and Canada following the subsequent market turmoil it created. Additionally, his hostile affront towards President Zelenskyy—a man who he has carried a personal grudge with since his 2019 impeachment—cannot be ignored when considering the UK’s steadfast support for Zelenskyy since the invasion in 2022.
Within the last week, Trump has illegally revoked congressionally-approved military funds for Ukraine, as well as rescinding US intelligence sharing. To what extent can the UK be confident of any trade deal actually happening considering the two countries’ opposing views on the defining diplomatic issue of our time?
Trump is a deeply transactional political figure and the warmth which he expressed towards Keir Starmer was not without the prime minister laying his diplomatic cards on the table. The prime minister produced a letter of invitation from King Charles III for an unprecedented second state visit for President Trump, which given the president’s actions in the last week, is growing increasingly regrettable.
It remains to be seen what else the UK has to offer Trump to guarantee immunity from his tariffs if the UK–US trade deal remains in its phantasmic state.