Trump agrees to cut tariffs on UK autos, steel and aluminum in a planned trade deal with Britain

The Associated Press 

U.S. President Donald Trump said from the White House on Thursday that his government has reached a trade agreement with the United Kingdom.

Trump said the deal increases access for U.S. agricultural products, though he added that the final details were still being written up. Britain says the deal will cut tariffs on U.K. cars from 27.5% to 10% and eliminate tariffs on steel and aluminum. 

Starmer said the UK didn’t lower food standards

He said the U.K. hasn’t lowered its food or animal-welfare standards to secure a trade deal with the U.S.

The deal includes increased access for U.S. beef, ethanol and other agricultural products to the British market.

There is strong public opposition in Britain to allowing in chlorine-rinsed American chicken or hormone-treated beef.

Starmer said “we said we had red lines on standards, particularly in agriculture. We’ve kept to those standards. The SPS (santitary and phytosanitary) red line is a red line that is written into the agreement.”

Starmer says the deal will protect UK auto jobs

The British prime minister has told auto workers a trade deal with the U.S. will protect thousands of jobs in the sector.

Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks to employees at a car factory in the West Midlands, Thursday, May 8, 2025.(AP Photo/Alberto Pezzali, Pool)

Starmer said he chose to announce the agreement at a Jaguar Land Rover plant “as soon as I knew this deal was coming in today” because it was so important to the industry.

He told the workers “this is just the start,” saying “we are hammering out further details to reduce barriers to trade with the United States and across the world.”