Donald Trump congratulated Sir Keir Starmer on getting the US trade deal over the line in an apparent swipe at the Tories. The US President made the comment during a call with the Prime Minister today.
Mr Trump said: “The US and UK have been working for years to try and make a deal and it never quite got there, it did with this Prime Minister. So I want to just congratulate you.” A delighted Sir Keir replied: “With this President and this Prime Minister we’ve managed to achieve what many people have tried to achieve for many years.”
Elsewhere during the call, Mr Trump said the bond between the US and UK will be “stronger than ever before”.
He said: “I want to thank Prime Minister Starmer. He’s been terrific for his partnership in this matter.
“It’s really an external and an internal bond between our two countries. It will soon be stronger than ever before. We have a great relationship.
“I want to just say that the representatives of UK have been so professional, and it’s been an honour doing business with all of them, and in particular the Prime Minister.”
Meanwhile, the PM said the US-UK trade deal is a “fantastic, historic day” for the two countries, adding it was “apt” it was signed on VE Day.
He told the US President: “This is a really fantastic historic day in which we can announce this deal between our two great countries, and I think it’s a real tribute to the history that we have of working so closely together.”
Sir Keir added: “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, and as you say, Donald, the timing couldn’t be more apt, because not only was it 80 years ago today that victory came for Europe after and at the end of the Second World War, but of course on that the UK and the US stood together as the closest of allies.”
The Government has been pursuing a deal with the US to reduce the impact of sweeping tariffs imposed by Mr Trump last month, which placed a 10% levy on all UK exports and a 25% charge on steel, aluminium and cars.