<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class=""><div class=""><span style="caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: "Source Sans 3", sans-serif; font-size: 1.6em;" class=""><b class="">Trump, Starmer announce bilateral economic talks</b></span></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.885em; margin: 4px 0px; padding: 6px 0px; overflow: auto; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "PT Serif", serif;" class=""><div style="box-sizing: border-box;" class="">By <a href="https://insidetrade.com/authors/David-LaRoss" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://insidetrade.com/authors/David-LaRoss&source=gmail&ust=1740840406711000&usg=AOvVaw3PfobFbDKRcmYuvZfd6U9W" style="color: rgb(0, 89, 178); box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none;" class="">David LaRoss</a> / February 27, 2025 at 5:23 PM</div><div style="font-weight: bold; box-sizing: border-box;" class="">Inside US Trade</div></div><div id="m_-8841612711119709616m_6482116984011933951m_-3559957454045088441last" style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "PT Serif", serif;" class=""></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: "PT Serif", serif;" class=""><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 24px;" class="">President Trump and United Kingdom Prime Minister Kier Starmer on Thursday announced their teams are working on an economic deal focused focus on “advanced technologies” and trade -- an agreement Trump said might avert new tariffs on imports from the UK.</div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 24px;" class="">During a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJSaNSSj_4c" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v%3DdJSaNSSj_4c&source=gmail&ust=1740840406711000&usg=AOvVaw0c-VaFnOhyfxJfWHCcDnXT" style="color: rgb(0, 89, 178); box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;" class="">joint Feb. 27 press conference</a>, Starmer used his opening remarks to tout the two countries’ close trade and political relationship and said, “we’ve decided today to go further -- to begin work on a new economic deal, with advanced technologies at its core,” later mentioning artificial intelligence as one of those priorities.</div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 24px;" class="">He also said “our trade relationship is not just strong -- it’s fair, balanced, and reciprocal,” referencing <a href="https://insidetrade.com/node/182407" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://insidetrade.com/node/182407&source=gmail&ust=1740840406711000&usg=AOvVaw0grDjsDQEftMb7_dMFsOGS" style="color: rgb(0, 89, 178); box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;" class="">Trump’s growing push</a> for “reciprocal” tariffs with countries where the U.S. has a trade deficit.</div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 24px;" class="">While Starmer repeatedly described the potential agreement as “economic” in nature, Trump said the negotiations would deal with trade. “We’ve had great discussions on trade, and I think we’re going to have a deal done rather quickly, as quickly as it can be done,” he said in response to a question on a timeline for the talks.</div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 24px;" class="">Answering a later question on whether Starmer had convinced him not to impose new tariffs on the UK, Trump said “he tried. I think that there’s a very good chance with these two great countries that we could very well end up with a real trade deal where the tariffs wouldn’t be necessary. We’ll see.”</div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 24px;" class="">Finally, he closed the press conference -- which primarily focused on Ukraine peace talks -- by saying, “I think we’re going to have two deals; I think we’re going to have a deal on ending the war, and I think we’re going to end up with a great trade deal with you.”</div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 24px;" class="">Trump also said “JD and Scott and Howard” were working on the negotiations, referring to Vice President JD Vance, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. He did not mention Jamieson Greer, the <a href="https://insidetrade.com/node/182444" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://insidetrade.com/node/182444&source=gmail&ust=1740840406711000&usg=AOvVaw1gKmtyQRVvghKMmEkd49n1" style="color: rgb(0, 89, 178); box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;" class="">newly confirmed</a> U.S. Trade Representative, or his agency.</div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 24px;" class="">U.S-UK trade talks began during Trump’s first term, but the Biden administration did not continue them. Instead, it pursued broader economic discussions that did not include market-access negotiations, though the UK government continued to campaign for a traditional FTA. The UK also struck non-binding deals with several U.S. states.</div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 24px;" class="">In the days before Starmer’s visit, members of Congress from both parties <a href="https://insidetrade.com/node/182456" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://insidetrade.com/node/182456&source=gmail&ust=1740840406711000&usg=AOvVaw1WFmR653h6Tez79Qdp0EbK" style="color: rgb(0, 89, 178); box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;" class="">reintroduced legislation</a> that would direct the president to “seek to initiate negotiations with the United Kingdom regarding tariff and nontariff barriers affecting any industry, product, or service sector.”</div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 24px;" class="">Ahead of the meeting between Trump and Starmer, a senior administration official told reporters the two leaders could discuss economic issues in addition to Ukraine. “Certainly, economic ties between the UK and the U.S. would be discussed -- the ways we can work together on things like AI or energy,” the official said, previewing Starmer’s announcement that such technologies would be at the “core” of negotiations. -- <em style="box-sizing: border-box;" class="">David LaRoss</em>(<a href="mailto:dlaross@iwpnews.com" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 89, 178); box-sizing: border-box; text-decoration: none; font-weight: bold;" class="">dlaross@iwpnews.com</a>)</div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 24px;" class=""><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><b class="">Lawmakers reup bill to launch FTA talks with the UK</b><b class=""><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; color: black;" class=""><br class=""></span></b><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">By Hannah Monicken | Feb. 27 , 2025</span><b class=""><u class=""></u><u class=""></u></b></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;" class="">Inside US Trade</span></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><u class=""></u> <u class=""></u></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class="">Lawmakers in both chambers have reintroduced a bill that would direct the president to initiate comprehensive free trade agreement negotiations with the United Kingdom.<u class=""></u><u class=""></u></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><u class=""></u> <u class=""></u></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class="">The bill was introduced ahead of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s meeting with President Trump on Thursday.<u class=""></u><u class=""></u></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><u class=""></u> <u class=""></u></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class="">The “<a href="https://insidetrade.com/sites/insidetrade.com/files/documents/2025/feb/wto2025_0134a.pdf" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://insidetrade.com/sites/insidetrade.com/files/documents/2025/feb/wto2025_0134a.pdf&source=gmail&ust=1740839596964000&usg=AOvVaw17nS93sg4yMrlK82bUBMOY" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" class=""><b class="">Undertaking Negotiations on Investment and Trade for Economic Dynamism (UNITED) Act</b></a>,” introduced by Reps. Adrian Smith (R-NE) and Jim Himes (D-CT) in the House and Sens. Jerry Moran (R-KS) and Chris Coons (D-DE) in the Senate, would give the U.S. Trade Representative the authority to negotiate a comprehensive trade deal, in consultation with Congress, with the UK. The bill was <a href="https://insidetrade.com/node/176956" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://insidetrade.com/node/176956&source=gmail&ust=1740839596964000&usg=AOvVaw3Ey_elPQkqSZR-fx56lwKJ" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" class=""><b class="">first introduced during the previous Congress</b></a>.<u class=""></u><u class=""></u></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><u class=""></u> <u class=""></u></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class="">Smith, who chairs the House Ways & Means trade subcommittee, noted that Trump in his first term launched such talks with the UK, which subsequently weren’t continued by the Biden administration.<u class=""></u><u class=""></u></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><u class=""></u> <u class=""></u></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class="">“Congress should do everything possible to keep pace and empower [Trump’s] vigorous engagement. The UNITED Act is a bipartisan effort to move into the future of rules-based trade relations by promoting expanded access to international markets eager for our products and safeguarding American innovation,” he <a href="https://insidetrade.com/sites/insidetrade.com/files/documents/2025/feb/wto2025_0134b.pdf" target="_blank" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://insidetrade.com/sites/insidetrade.com/files/documents/2025/feb/wto2025_0134b.pdf&source=gmail&ust=1740839596964000&usg=AOvVaw3erFDXZcQj1gBYYOaIBq3B" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" class=""><b class="">said in a statement</b></a>.<u class=""></u><u class=""></u></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><u class=""></u> <u class=""></u></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class="">All four lawmakers in the same statement argued that the UK is an ideal partner for such negotiations, citing shared history and a “special relationship.”<u class=""></u><u class=""></u></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><u class=""></u> <u class=""></u></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class="">“A comprehensive free trade agreement with the United Kingdom would advance both countries’ strategic and economic interests,” Coons added.<u class=""></u><u class=""></u></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><u class=""></u> <u class=""></u></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class="">The reintroduction comes as Starmer is in Washington to meet with his U.S. counterpart. A senior administration official told reporters ahead of the Thursday meeting that economic issues were on the table and reiterated the administration’s commitment to “reciprocal and equal trade.”<u class=""></u><u class=""></u></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><u class=""></u> <u class=""></u></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class="">“Certainly, economic ties between the UK and the U.S. would be discussed – the ways we can work together on things like [artificial intelligence] or energy,” the official said.<u class=""></u><u class=""></u></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><u class=""></u> <u class=""></u></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class="">“We would want any economic relationship with the UK to be based on reciprocal and equal trade, in a reciprocal and equal trading relationship,” the official added. “So with that as the overall umbrella, we would certainly look at ways to deepen our partnership on economic issues.”<u class=""></u><u class=""></u></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><u class=""></u> <u class=""></u></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class="">The UNITED Act directs the president to “seek to initiate negotiations with the United Kingdom regarding tariff and nontariff barriers affecting any industry, product, or service sector” within 180 days of the law’s implementation, according to the bill text. The authority would lapse on March 1, 2029.<u class=""></u><u class=""></u></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><u class=""></u> <u class=""></u></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class="">The bill also would direct the executive branch to consult with Congress “before and throughout negotiations.” It cites the Trade Promotion Authority law that expired in 2021, saying that any agreement forged under this proposed bill would have to adhere to TPA’s congressional consultation and implementation provisions.<u class=""></u><u class=""></u></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><u class=""></u> <u class=""></u></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class="">The text also includes “sense of Congress” language stating that the U.S. “should pursue more open trade and investment relationships with its allies.” And it identifies the UK as an ideal partner for such talks, citing the longstanding economic relationship and the ability to set high standards on issues like labor, the environment, intellectual property and non-market practices, among others.<u class=""></u><u class=""></u></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class=""><u class=""></u> <u class=""></u></div><div style="margin: 0px; caret-color: rgb(34, 34, 34); color: rgb(34, 34, 34); font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;" class="">The lawmakers touted the bill as bipartisan, though additional co-sponsors were not available as of press time. The 2023 version of the bill didn’t have any Democratic sponsors beyond Himes and Coons. In the Senate, Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) was a co-sponsor of the 2023 bill while its companion in the House had four additional Republican lawmakers on board. -- <i class="">Hannah Monicken</i> (<a href="mailto:hmonicken@iwpnews.com" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(17, 85, 204);" class=""><b class="">hmonicken@iwpnews.<wbr class="">com</b></a>)</div></div><div style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 24px;" class=""><br class=""></div></div><div class="">
Arthur Stamoulis<br class="">Citizens Trade Campaign<br class="">(202) 494-8826<br class=""><br class=""><br class=""><br class="">
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