TURNBERRY, Scotland — U.S. President Donald Trump says he is “going to look at” a blanket 10 percent tariff on most U.K. goods, raising hopes of a breakthrough in trade negotiations between the two countries.
Trump made the comments to reporters from his Turnberry golf resort in Scotland on Monday, ahead of wide-ranging talks with Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Pressed on whether he would consider any reduction to the 10 percent reciprocal tariff rate on the U.K. — the lowest of any U.S. trading partner to date — the president appeared buoyant.
“We are going to take a look at it,” he replied, adding, “we want to make the prime minister happy.”
His comment comes despite nervousness within the U.K. government about the implementation of some elements of the U.K.-U.S. Economic Prosperity Deal signed more than two months ago.
In addition to a reduction to the 10 percent reciprocal tariff rate, the U.K. is pushing for the U.S. to implement its commitment to cut tariffs on steel and aluminum from 25 percent to zero. Progress has been stymied by U.S. “melt and pour rules” that require steel imported to the U.S. to be melted and poured in the U.K. to qualify for tariff relief.
Asked about the possibility of tariff reductions on steel and aluminum, the president did not comment directly.
“We’re in great shape, a great deal was made with the UK prime minister — they did a great job,” he said. “You know, they’ve been trying to make that deal for 12 years, and he got it done, so everybody respects him … it’s going to be a lot of jobs for here, and great for America, and in terms of the relationship … our relationship is unparalleled, but it keeps it even closer when you have a good trade deal.”
The president was also asked about the possibility of cutting tariffs on Scotch whisky, a major U.K. export.
“Well we’ll talk about that,” the teetotal president responded. “I didn’t know whisky was a problem. I’m not a big whisky drinker. But maybe I should be one.”
The president did not comment on tariffs on pharmaceutical products — which he has threatened to announce as soon as the start of August.
U.K. pharmaceutical firms — including GSK and AstraZeneca — sell a huge proportion of their drugs to the U.S. market, with British pharmaceutical exports to America worth £6.6 billion in 2024.
A U.K. government figure — granted anonymity to speak freely — told POLITICO last week that a deal on pharmaceuticals was “much more likely” than immediate progress on steel or the blanket 10 percent reciprocal tariffs.
Martin Alfonsin Larsen contributed to this report.
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