President Donald Trump has given fresh hope for a rapid trade agreement with Britain, declaring that threatened tariffs “wouldn’t be necessary” if negotiations progress as he anticipates.
The remarks came at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who visited the White House seeking closer economic ties, clarity over US sanctions policies and support for a potential Ukraine settlement.
During their Oval Office meeting, Sir Keir presented Trump with a letter from King Charles inviting the US president for an unprecedented second state visit—an offer Trump deemed a “great honour.” The president also praised the King as a “wonderful man,” highlighting the importance of sustaining strong UK-US relations, both diplomatically and economically.
At the subsequent press event, Trump insisted a “real trade deal” could be finalised “very quickly,” potentially protecting British exporters from import taxes that have impacted other US allies, including hefty tariffs on steel and aluminium. Sir Keir echoed that sentiment, arguing that UK-US trade is already “fair, balanced and reciprocal.”
Beyond a potential free trade deal, both leaders addressed pressing geopolitical questions. Trump confirmed he will host Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky in Washington, despite having previously labelled Zelensky a “dictator”—an accusation Trump now claims not to recall making. Sir Keir, meanwhile, reiterated his willingness to deploy British troops to Ukraine in any internationally backed peace arrangement, but only if accompanied by “robust” US security guarantees.
The pair also discussed a planned UK agreement with Mauritius over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands—a move Trump indicated he was “inclined to go along with.” Crucially, the accord would preserve access to the strategic US-UK military base on Diego Garcia by leasing the island back to Britain after ceding sovereignty of the wider archipelago.
Finally, Sir Keir highlighted a separate “economic deal” centred on artificial intelligence, stressing that AI investment could be “the moon shot of our age” by potentially accelerating breakthroughs in areas such as cancer treatment.
Although previous attempts at securing a comprehensive US-UK free trade agreement have stalled, businesses and trade experts welcome signs of rapprochement. William Bain, the head of trade policy at the British Chambers of Commerce, described the White House talks as an “important first step” towards lowering tariffs, particularly for key sectors like automotive and pharmaceuticals.
