Donald Trump has threatened to rip up the US-UK trade deal as he described the ‘special relationship’ as in a “sad’ state, in his latest swipe at Sir Keir Starmer.
Mr Trump, who continues to be enraged by the UK’s refusal to join the war on Iran, also hit out at the PM for what he termed “tragic” errors on drilling for oil in the North Sea and decried the UK’s immigration policies as “insane”.
His latest attack, in an interview with Sky News, comes just over a week before a four-day trip by King Charles and Queen Camilla to the US, which will now unfold against a backdrop of strained transatlantic relations.
Mr Trump has repeatedly attacked Sir Keir and other Nato allies in recent weeks for their perceived failure to support his war in Iran.
In a fresh attack, he said that while he likes the prime minister, the US-UK special relationship has “been better” and is in a “sad” state.
Asked how he would describe the special relationship, Trump questioned: “With who?”
He reiterated his disappointment that Britain and other Nato allies had not joined the war with Iran “when we needed them” and he warned he could reopen the trade agreement to give the UK worse terms as a result.
“We gave them a good trade deal. Better than I had to. Which can always be changed. But we gave them a trade deal that was very good because they’re having a lot of problems,” Trump said.
The threat comes less than a year after Sir Keir struck the historic trade agreement with the US, designed in part to protect the UK from some of the fallout from Trump’s tariffs.
The deal was the first of its kind agreed by the US after President Trump came to power and offers the UK relief from tariffs on cars and steel, in exchange for giving America’s agricultural industry greater access to British markets.
The US president also said that while he liked the Labour leader, whose party wants to end North Sea oil and gas production, with a focus on wind and solar farms instead, he had made a “tragic mistake in closing the North Sea oil”, as well as “a tragic mistake on immigration”.
He said the UK’s immigration policies are “insane”, adding: “They’re [migrants] destroying… your country is being invaded.”
The UK’s energy and immigration policies are “the worst of both”, he added: “You can’t succeed, not possible.”
But the US president added that he loves the UK and “I would love to see it succeed”.
This historic royal visit, scheduled between 27 and 30 April, will be the King’s first journey to the US as monarch. It is set to commemorate the 250th anniversary of American independence, heralding the commencement of celebrations across the nation.
Hours after Buckingham Palace unveiled the King’s US itinerary, Mr Trump characterised Charles as a “great gentleman”.
“I’ve known him for a long time. He’s wonderful, wonderful person,” the US president added, according to the broadcaster.
Mr Trump also insisted his strained relationship with Sir Keir would “not at all” overshadow the royal visit.
He also told Sky News an agreement to end the war with Iran is “very possible”.
The president has reportedly said talks to end the conflict could resume in the next “two days”.
American vice-president JD Vance took part in negotiations in Islamabad, Pakistan, over the weekend aimed at ending the war, which concluded without any major breakthrough.
