The first of the cascade of trade and tariff deals expected under the new Trump administration was announced in the Oval Office on Thursday. The “unprecedented” deal was the first time in decades that American producers will have freer and “streamlined customs” access to the U.K. markets.
The announcement allows the sale of U.S. beef into the U.K. for the first time in decades and ensures an increase in the purchase of Boeing commercial jetliners.
Flanked by Vice President J.D. Vance and on a conference call with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, President Donald Trump announced an agreement “worth billions of dollars” with the U.K. that reconfigures tariff prices on goods, expands the market for American farmers and ranchers, and added a phalanx of Boeing jetliners to that nation’s commercial fleet.
The Trump White House called it “a breakthrough” and “a good deal.”
🚨 A GOOD DEAL 🚨
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 8, 2025
President Trump announces the first breakthrough trade deal between America and the United Kingdom. ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/pesMdQlCMY
The “unprecedented” deal not only includes U.S. tariffs but also a reduction in tariffs by the U.K. The deal introduces a reset of the baseline framework for trade, which will create a $5 billion in exports opportunities for American farmers, ranchers, and other producers can sell into the U.K. That includes beef.
Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said that the beef deal with "exponentially" increase the amount of beef that ranchers sell.
.@POTUS’ historic deal with the UK is a HUGE WIN for American farmers & ranchers. 🚜🇺🇸
— Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) May 8, 2025
Here in the United States, we produce the SAFEST and most ABUNDANT food supply in the world! 🌍 This deal puts our great American Agricultural Producers FIRST! 💪 pic.twitter.com/XSMZnwxV3s
The U.K. has effectively cut off U.S. beef supply for nearly 40 years due to added hormones and completely cut off U.S.-produced beef 20 years ago due to BSE or mad cow disease concerns.
American Grown. American Beef. America First. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/iXtgMsa3mo
— Erick Farmer (@ErickFarmer73) May 2, 2025
In another win for farmers, Rollins announced that ethanol tariffs were brought to zero percent from an initial 19% announced.
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In a statement, the president said, “The U.K. will reduce or eliminate numerous non-tariff barriers that unfairly discriminated against American products.”
Remarkably, the two countries also announced the creation of a “trading zone” between them.
The initial deal also raises about $6 billion in revenue from the 10% tariffs imposed by the U.S. on U.K. imported products and creates a supply chain between the two countries for pharmaceuticals and plane parts.
Trump initially announced a 25% tariff on many British products, and under this deal he reduced some of those to 10%, including adjustments to tariffs on steel and aluminum. He also reduced tariffs from 25% to 10% on the first 100,000 U.K. made cars coming to America. Some of America’s most beloved luxury cars come from the U.K., including Rolls-Royce, Aston Martin, Rover, McLaren, Bentley, Lotus, MG, and Jaguar.
In addition to opening markets for American farmers and ranchers, Trump announced an increase in the number of jetliners that would be purchased by British companies, without naming them.
British airlines already had 18 Boeing planes on order before the announced deal. The new deal alludes to a $10 billion order, but doesn't specify which U.K. airlines would be taking delivery.
Simple Flying reports that "there are only two UK airlines that could be in the running for placing such a big Boeing order."
"In October 2023, frequent flyer site Head For Points wrote that IAG, the parent company of British Airways, Iberia, and others, had been in contact with both Airbus and Boeing about further wide-body purchases to replace its older Boeing 777s," the publication reported.
It should be noted that the U.K. companies previously had a stake in Airbus, which is the rival to Boeing's commercial business, but divested from the airline in 2006. Airbus is owned by several other European countries.
Trump noted that the announcement of the deal on Thursday fell on the 80th anniversary of Victory Day for World War II.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has recently said that Trump has done an extraordinary job of creating leverage where there was none before.
"President Trump creates what I would call strategic uncertainty in the negotiations," he told Fox Business.
"Nobody’s better at creating this leverage than President Trump," he said. There's no one better "at giving himself maximum leverage."
The United States has had near-zero tariffs with the United Kingdom before Trump came along, and now Britain has opened up its markets to American farmers, ranchers, and airplanes more than ever before.
As Trump put it Thursday at the announcement in the Oval Office, "It can't be understated… how important this deal is and what this means to American farmers and ranchers."
Editor's Note: President Trump is leading America into the "Golden Age" as Democrats try desperately to stop it.
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