WASHINGTON — President Trump announced Thursday that the US and UK had agreed on the framework of a trade deal – the first established since Trump’s “Liberation Day” tariff announcement last month.
Trump, 78, told reporters in the Oval Office that the UK will be “opening up the country” to American goods, especially agricultural products like beef.
Notably, the current tariff rate of 10% will remain in place on the UK, but will give London some breathing room on cars and plane parts — as well as invite the ally into an “economic security agreement” with the US.
The final details of the deal are still being written up, the president said.
“They’ll also be fast-tracking American goods through their customs process, so our exports go to a very, very quick form of approval, and there won’t be any red tape,” Trump added.
Trump has a close relationship with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, after the two met at the White House on Feb. 27.
Starmer was patched in via speaker phone during Trump’s announcement, saying the deal had been negotiated over a period of weeks.
The PM specifically praised Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer as playing key roles in the talks.
Trump had seemed unaware of a potential UK deal as late as Tuesday, telling The Post in the Oval Office when asked about reports a deal was close: “Who? What? … What about the United Kingdom? … They’re offering us concessions? I hope so.”
Not everyone in the Trump world was taking a victory lap over the agreement.
“While it may be a good first step, ‘frameworks’ aren’t enough,” one source close to the administration said. “There needs to be tangibles, specifics, and serious enforcement mechanisms. Let’s not overpromise and underdeliver.
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