Trump warns that the US-UK trade agreement signed with Britain could be changed or canceled

Trump warns that the United States could alter or even cancel the trade agreement signed with the United Kingdom's Prime Minister Keir Starmer in May 2025. The deal included looser terms for the automotive sector as well as steel and aluminum, and was regarded as one of the standout economic achievements for Mr. Starmer since taking office in 2024. However, Trump argued that bilateral relations have deteriorated and criticized London for not standing with Washington on the Iran conflict. 'We gave them a very good trade deal, even better than needed, but that deal can always change,' he told Sky News. He said London did not stand by the US when needed and remains so. During Parliament’s Question Time on Wednesday (15 Apr), Prime Minister Starmer asserted that the UK will not participate in the Iran war and will not let the country be drawn into conflict. Liberal Democrat Ed Davey criticized Trump and called for canceling the state visit to the US by King Charles planned for later this month. Meanwhile, Conservative Andrew Griffith warned that the US remains Britain’s largest trading partner by country, and that British businesses and workers would pay the price if trade barriers increase under Starmer. Tensions between the US and UK have intensified ahead of the Washington meeting on 15 Apr between UK Finance Minister Rachel Reeves and US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Reeves said she was 'very disappointed' with the US entering the war without a clear exit, and called the military intervention a mistake that is placing pressure on businesses and households. Conversely, at an IMF meeting, Bessent argued that the Iran conflict may justify some short-term losses if it helps prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. 'I wonder what global GDP would look like if a nuclear weapon hit London. I’m not overly worried about near-term forecasts, but more about long-term security,' he told the BBC. Financial Times reports that despite tensions, trade talks with Washington have continued in recent weeks. This month, the two sides signed another deal on pharmaceuticals and a pricing mechanism for drugs. The US-UK trade deal signed in May last year was praised by Washington as beneficial for the US, especially for opening the UK market to American agricultural exports. The US government said the deal marked 'a significant step' for US access to the UK market and created new export opportunities worth about $5 billion for US stakeholders, including farmers, ranchers and manufacturers.