US President Donald Trump has announced a trade agreement with Britain, marking the first such pact secured by his administration since launching a sweeping effort to overhaul the global trading system through tariffs, as he suggested a call with China’s leader Xi Jinping loomed and that levies on Chinese goods “could be” coming down.
“Because of our long-time history and allegiance together, it is a great honour to have the United Kingdom as our FIRST announcement,” Trump wrote on social media.
Trump during a White House briefing told reporters that “many meetings” were being planned “today and tomorrow”, adding that “every country wants to be making deals”.
The US president also said he “might speak with Xi” depending on how talks in Switzerland go, referring to the Chinese leader as Washington prepares to negotiate with Beijing its steep tariffs on the Asian economic giant.
Asked about a possible phone conversation with Xi, Trump said: “I might, yeah, sure.”
“I always got along very well” with the Chinese president, he added.