The US is ’working very hard’ to negotiate a ’great’ trade deal with Keir Starmer’s government because Donald Trump ’really loves the UK’, vice president JD Vance has said.
Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on imports to the US earlier this month, rocking the world economy and sending stock prices tumbling, sparking fears of a global recession.
The UK government has been hopeful of a deal to exempt the UK from Trump’s tariffs, and in an interview on Tuesday, Vance said he was optimistic that both sides could come to a mutually beneficial agreement.
’We’re certainly working very hard with Keir Starmer’s government’ on a trade deal, Vance told the website UnHerd.
’The President really loves the United Kingdom. He loved the Queen. He admires and loves the King. It is a very important relationship. And he’s a businessman and has a number of important business relationships in [Britain]. But I think it’s much deeper than that.
’There’s a real cultural affinity. And, of course, fundamentally, America is an Anglo country.
’I think there’s a good chance that, yes, we’ll come to a great agreement that’s in the best interest of both countries.’
The US is ’working very hard’ to negotiate a ’great’ trade deal with Keir Starmer’s government because Donald Trump ’really loves the UK’, vice president JD Vance has said
Britain was spared the most punitive treatment in Trump’s initial tariff announcement, due to the two sides enjoying a largely balanced trade relationship.
Still, British imports in the US now incur a 10 per cent charge while its steel and car sectors incur a rate of 25 per cent.
Vance told UnHerd that the U.S. administration was working very hard with Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government.
Vance said the ’reciprocal relationship’ between the US and UK gave Britain a more advantageous position than other European countries when it comes to negotiating new trade arrangements.
’While we love the Germans, they are heavily dependent on exporting to the United States but are pretty tough on a lot of American businesses that would like to export into Germany.’
Chancellor Rachel Reeves will aim to continue negotiations for an economic deal with the US later this month when she travels to Washington to attend the International Monetary Fund’s spring meetings with other finance ministers.
She warned earlier this week that the US tariffs will have a ’profound’ impact, saying she is ’under no illusion about the difficulties that lie ahead’.
But in an article for the Observer she also said that the UK would argue for a ’more balanced global economic and trading system’ that ’recognises the benefits of free trade’.
British and American officials have been locked in talks for weeks that initially focused on boosting cooperation on artificial intelligence and tech but could also expand to include food and other goods.
It comes as the trade war between the US and China has continued to intensify, with Trump accusing Beijing of trying to ’screw’ America.
Chinese President Xi Jinping has been touring south east Asia this week, making the case for free trade in the region and presenting Beijing as a source of ’stability and certainty.’
In a clear reference to Trump’s tariffs, he urged Vietnam to ’oppose unilateralism and bullying practices’ and told its communist leader that the two nations should ’strengthen strategic resolve.’
Reacting to the visit, Trump said: ’I don’t blame China; I don’t blame Vietnam.’That’s a lovely meeting. Meeting like, trying to figure out, ’how do we screw the United States of America?’
Vietnam was hit by one of the highest tariffs of 46 per cent earlier this month.
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