The US is “working very hard” with the UK on negotiating a “great” trade deal, vice president JD Vance has said.
It comes after US President Donald Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on imports to the United States several weeks ago, rocking the world economy, sending stock prices tumbling and sparking fears of a global recession.
Vice President Vance said: “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.”
Chancellor Rachel Reeves will aim to continue negotiations for an economic deal with the US later this month when she travels to Washington.
President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance
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Vance told UnHerd: “We’re certainly working very hard with Keir Starmer’s government…The President really loves the United Kingdom. He loved the Queen. He admires and loves the King. It is a very important relationship.
“And 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.
“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.”
LATEST ON TRUMP’S TARIFFS
Lammy, Starmer, Trump and Vance
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Trump has rowed back on tariffs, reducing the rate paid on imports from most countries to 10 per cent and, on Saturday, exempting electronics such as smartphones and laptops from the levy. This includes the 145 per cent charge on imports from China.
The Vice President said the relationship between the US and UK gave Britain a more advantageous position over European countries going into negotiating talks.
Vance continued: “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.
“I love European people. I’ve said repeatedly that I think that you can’t separate American culture from European culture…[but] it’s not in Europe’s interest, and it’s not in America’s interest, for Europe to be a permanent security vassal of the United States.”