May 8 (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that an agreement with Britain would be a full and comprehensive one, amid expectations the two countries would soon sign a trade deal.
“The agreement with the United Kingdom is a full and comprehensive one that will cement the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom for many years to come,” he said on the Truth Social platform.
“Because of our long time history and allegiance together, it is a great honor to have the United Kingdom as our FIRST announcement. Many other deals, which are in serious stages of negotiation, to follow!” he said.
Trump earlier in the day said that Thursday would be “a very big and exciting day” for the United States and Britain, and that there would be a news conference at 10 ET (1400 GMT).
(Reporting by Gursimran Kaur in Bengaluru, Editing by Bernadette Baum)
The International Monetary Fund last month slashed its growth forecasts for the United States, China and most countries, citing the impact of U.S. tariffs and warning that rising trade tensions would further slow growth.
U.S. and Chinese officials are also preparing to hold talks in Switzerland on Saturday, which could mark the first step in resolving a potentially damaging trade war between the world’s top two economies.
Trump’s top officials have engaged in a flurry of meetings with trading partners since the president on April 2 imposed the broad 10% tariff, along with higher “reciprocal” tariff rates for many trading partners, though those rates were later suspended for 90 days.
Britain was not among the countries hit with additional tariffs, because it imports more from the U.S. than it exports there.
(Reporting by Alistair Smout; writing by Kate Holton; Editing by Toby Chopra)