The Trump administration is looking to complete a trade deal with the United Kingdom before the end of 2020, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said Thursday. Talks could start as soon as February.
“The president is very focused ... on Europe,” Mnuchin said in an interview with CNBC. “The good news is we have seen a lot of investments in the U.S. from the European car companies. But the president wants to make sure that we have free and fair and reciprocal trade in Europe. And by the way, we are very focused on a UK Free Trade Agreement, which we hope to get done this year as well.”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is expected in Washington next month to begin talks with President Donald Trump though the exact dates have not yet been set.
Key in the U.S.-UK trade deal will be in large part dictated by the way the UK aligns itself with the EU upon Brexit. The closer it hones its rules to those of the EU, it could make it much more difficult for negotiations in areas like agriculture.
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