LONDON — U.S. Vice President JD Vance believes there is a “good chance” of Britain and America reaching a “great” trade agreement, in a boost to U.K. officials scrambling for a deal.
Vance praised the “cultural affinity” between the two countries and highlighted President Donald Trump’s personal connection to the U.K. as he talked up the prospect of an agreement.
“We’re certainly working very hard with Keir Starmer’s government” on a trade deal, Vance said in an interview with UnHerd. “The president really loves the United Kingdom. He loved the queen. He admires and loves the king. It is a very important relationship.”
Vance said of Trump: “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.”
He added: “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 British government has been urgently trying to seal an economic agreement with the U.S. in a bid to reduce Trump’s 25 percent tariffs on metals and cars, as well as the baseline 10 percent levy Trump has imposed on all products imported to the U.S.
“With the United Kingdom, we have a much more reciprocal relationship than we have with, say, Germany,” Vance said. “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.”
The U.K. and Australia are among the countries now being prioritized by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent for a trade agreement. A person close to the White House told POLITICO Australia “is a little less complex in terms of their internal politics” than the U.K.
Countries need to bring their “A-game” to negotiations, Bessent told Bloomberg in an interview in Buenos Aires on Monday, indicating there are “a dozen” nations the U.S. is negotiating with during Trump’s 90 day pause on some tariffs.
The U.S. and these countries could reach “an agreement in principle” on a deal that could see them get tariff carve-outs, Bessent said. “It may not be the actual trade document, but we will have and be able to move forward from there.”
Lowering tariffs is one thing, but non-tariff trade barriers like regulations and taxes “are more insidious,” Bessent added. “And it’s probably going to take a little longer to exorcise those demons.” For the most important trading partners, Trump’s treasury chief said, “the president’s going to be involved.”
U.K. Industry Minister Sarah Jones on Tuesday welcomed Vance’s comments, but would not be drawn on specific negotiations.
“We know we’re in a good position. We are having good conversations,” she told LBC. “There is a deal there to be done, but as to when that will be done I wouldn’t be able to tell you, but it’s positive that the vice president is positive about our negotiations.”
Megan Messerly contributed reporting.
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