President Donald Trump on Thursday unveiled a trade agreement with the United Kingdom.
The deal is the first by the United States with a country whose imports were subject to new tariffs imposed by Trump in early April.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer is not in Washington, D.C., but is expected to participate in the Oval Office event remotely, CNBC’s Eamon Javers reported.
Trump earlier said on Truth Social, “The agreement with the United Kingdom is a full and comprehensive one that will cement the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom for many years to come.”
“Because of our long time history and allegiance together, it is a great honor to have the United Kingdom as our FIRST announcement,” he wrote.
“Many other deals, which are in serious stages of negotiation, to follow!”
But 10 Downing Street suggested that negotiations with the U.S. were ongoing.
“Talks on a deal between our countries have been continuing at pace and the Prime Minister will update later today,” a spokesperson for Starmer said in a statement overnight, after The New York Times first reported on the U.S.-UK announcement.
The statement added that Starmer “will always act in Britain’s national interest,” and called the U.S. “an indispensable ally for both our economic and national security.”
Trump imposed a 10% blanket tariff on the UK in early April, as part of a rollout of what he claimed were “reciprocal” import duties on nearly every country on earth.
The UK is also affected by separate U.S. tariffs on imports of steel, aluminum, and foreign-made cars.
Trump quickly backed off the reciprocal plan amid a market rout and mounting criticism. He announced a 90-day “pause” that set an across-the-board 10% tariff rate for all affected nations except China.
Trump claimed he decided on that pause after dozens of countries reached out to negotiate new trade relationships with the U.S.
This is developing news. Please check back for updates.
