US President Donald Trump has said that the United States’ trade agreement with the United Kingdom “can always be changed,” signaling that the current terms are not fixed.
Speaking to Sky News on Wednesday, Trump said, “We gave them a good trade deal, better than I had to,” while referring to the ongoing economic relationship between the two countries.
He also questioned the strength of what is often called the “special relationship,” suggesting it has weakened over time. “It’s the relationship where when we asked them for help, they were not there,” he said. “When we needed them, they were not there. When we didn’t need them, they were not there.”
Despite his criticism, Trump confirmed that the upcoming state visit of King Charles and Queen Camilla to the United States would not be affected.
When asked to describe the relationship again, he responded, “It’s been better, but it’s sad.”
Trump also repeated that the trade agreement reached in May last year could be revised in the future. The deal made the UK the first country to secure a tariff agreement with his administration after his return to office, reducing import taxes on products such as cars, steel, and aluminium.
Relations between Washington and London have shown signs of strain in recent months, particularly over foreign policy in the Middle East. Trump has openly criticised Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s positions, at one point calling him “no Winston Churchill.”
