Donald Trump has hinted that South Korea might be at the front of the queue for a new trade deal with the US, throwing a spanner in the works for Sir Keir Starmer, who’s been keen on boosting ties between the US and UK ever since he stepped into his role at Number 10.
It’s been revealed by newly minted US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent that technical talks are set to kick off next week with Seoul. He expressed surprise at the speed of progress, commenting that things are “moving faster than I thought”.
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During a press briefing at the White House on Thursday, Mr Bessent said: “We had a very successful bilateral meeting with the Republic of South Korea today. We may be moving faster than I thought. The South Koreans came early. They came with their A game and we will see if they follow through on that.”
With the news of a potential speedy US-Korea trade pact, there’s likely a bit of dismay settling over the Prime Minister’s office, as they’ve been trying to get Britain’s faltering attempts to land a post-Brexit deal with Washington back on track.
While Mr Trump hasn’t ruled out a trade arrangement with Britain, whispers around Westminster suggest there’s growing anxiety that the UK might now be taking a backseat in the list of US priorities, as per reports from the Express.
Sir Keir is rolling out the red carpet, having invited President Trump to a state visit later this year, while emphasizing his dedication to “committed to strengthening our trade relationship with the United States” and striking “ambitious agreements” across major industries.
Meanwhile, top brass in Whitehall are sweating bullets over concerns that Trump’s Indo-Pacific approach could leave Blighty out in the cold.
When probed on which nations are queued up for trade talks, Trump zipped his lips, coyly suggesting: “I’d like to meet them all. That would be nice. I’d like to take care of all of them but we have many of them there and they all want to meet.”
He strutted further confidence, boasting, “They want to meet about trade. And we are making some great inroads and great deals.”
The buzz around these developments heaps the pressure on Sir Keir to deliver real-deal results in international trade and foreign policy, this amid snipes that despite his well-spun words post-Brexit, substance has been scarce.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves finds herself Stateside at the IMF Spring Meetings in Washington, pumped to rekindle the flame under the stalled UK-US trade deal talks.
In the midst of Mr Trump slapping hefty tariffs on UK exports, including a punitive 25% tax on cars, steel, and aluminium, Reeves remains steadfast that there is “a deal to be done” with Washington. She’s adamant about not compromising on food standards and online regulation but hints at a possible easing of tariffs between British and American vehicles.
Ahead of their crucial meeting, Ms Reeves acknowledged an increasing understanding of Mr Trump’s goals and issued a pointed warning that richer nations “can’t afford to be agnostic or naive” when it comes to the complex mechanics of world trade.
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