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WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump said that the British Prime Minister Theresa May’s Brexit deal approved by the European Union would hurt the U. K’s trade relations with the United States.
Trump told reporters on Nov. 26 the withdrawal agreement “sounds like a great deal for the EU” but may not allow Britain to negotiate a free trade agreement with the United States.
“We have to take a look at, seriously, whether or not the UK is allowed to trade,” said Trump.
“If you look at the deal, they may not be able to trade with us, and that wouldn’t be a good thing. I don’t think they meant that. I don’t think that the Prime Minister meant that, and hopefully she’ll be able to do something about that.”
May responded to Trump’s criticisms on Nov. 27, insisting that the Brexit deal “clearly identifies” that the UK will have an independent trade policy. Speaking to the public in Wales, May said that Britain would be free to strike trade deals with countries around the world.
“As regards the United States, we have already been talking to them about the sort of agreement that we could have in the future,” she said.
“We have a working group set up and that is working very well, has met several times and is continuing to work with the U. S. on this.”
The United States is the single largest source of inward investment into the UK. Both countries invested over $1.2 trillion in each other’s economies, according to the Office of the U. S. Trade Representative (USTR). And the trade between the two countries is worth over $230 billion a year.
The United States is the largest export market for British goods.
