Trump’s trade threats will only push the UK towards Europe

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Donald Trump has floated annulling the US tariff agreement with the UK due to Keir Starmer’s refusal to join the Iran war. The president told Sky News that the deal can “always be changed” and that it was “better” than one he had to give. It is, in reality, a limited agreement that rolled back tariffs on cars, steel and other goods. It has also been undercut by the Supreme Court’s decision in February to reverse most of Trump’s levies. A decade ago, Brexit supporters argued that leaving the EU would allow the UK to strike a fully-fledged free trade deal with the US. But negotiations have yielded no fruit, with food standards continuing to be a sticking point. Trump’s latest warnings bolster Labour’s argument that the UK needs to reset ties with Europe. Rachel Reeves, certainly, appears to be unconcerned about further riling up Trump.