WASHINGTON, May 8 (Bernama-Anadolu) -- President Donald Trump said on Thursday that the United States (US) and the United Kingdom (UK) have reached a "breakthrough" trade deal.
"This morning, I'm thrilled to announce that we have reached a breakthrough trade deal with the United Kingdom," Trump said at the White House.
He said the deal with the UK is the first in a series of agreements on trade that his administration has been negotiating over the past four weeks.
"With this deal, the UK joins the United States in affirming that reciprocity and fairness is an essential and vital principle of international trade," he added.
The UK will reduce numerous non-tariff barriers that "unfairly discriminated against American products," Trump said.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said virtually that it is a "really fantastic, historic day" in which the countries can announce this deal.
"And I think it's a real tribute to the history that we have of working so closely together. ...Really important deal. This is going to boost trade between and across our countries. It's going to not only protect jobs, but create jobs, opening market access," he added.
Anadolu also reported Trump confirmed that steel is “a big factor in this deal that will make both countries stronger.”
He also revealed that “American chemicals and machinery have been added to the deal.”
While some final technical details are still being worked out, Trump stated that the core agreement is settled: “The actual deal is a conclusive one.”
He framed the deal as more than a trade pact, saying it would bring the UK into “economic security alignment with the US,” which he described as a “big economic security blanket.”
Currently, most UK goods imported into the US face tariffs of around 10 per cent, with even higher duties applied to cars, steel, and aluminum.
Conversely, the UK imposes tariffs on a range of American products and levies a digital services tax that has long been a sticking point for US tech firms.
The new deal is expected to include mutual tariff reductions -- particularly for automobiles -- and could ease tensions around the UK's digital tax on US technology companies.
-- BERNAMA-ANADOLU
