The U.K. will be given a quota of 100,000 cars for export under Trump’s 10 percent tariff, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick told reporters during the Oval Office announcement Thursday. British cars above that level will again face the 25 percent tariff.
The U.K. has agreed to accept 13,000 tonnes of U.S. beef into its market, but has insisted that this be high-quality produce, with British farmers afforded the same access to the U.S. market.
London talked up winning “unprecedented market access for British farmers,” while boasting that its protections on food standards — long prized by Brits wary of chlorinated chicken and hormone washed beefed — would be maintained. “We are not going to lower British food standards,” said a No. 10 spokesperson.
“I know our incredible trade team is looking at all the meats, all the produce, really, all of our agriculture exports,” Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said alongside the president.
A tariff on ethanol coming into the U.K. from the U.S. has been slashed to zero. Its digital services tax — a levy on tech giants — has not been reduced as had been suggested at one point during talks.
Starmer, who heaped praise on Trump and his team during the Oval Office call Thursday, said in a statement: “This historic deal delivers for British business and British workers protecting thousands of British jobs in key sectors including car manufacturing and steel.”
Pressure for the Trump administration to announce trade agreements comes as Americans, manufacturers and retailers brace for higher prices in the coming weeks as shipments into West Coast ports plunge to levels not seen since the early days of the pandemic.
Supply chain disruptions could result in shortages of a number of everyday items like cars, furniture, clothes and toys.
