Donald Trump announces US trade deal with Britain, suggests call with Xi Jinping for China

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. “Many other deals, which are in serious stages of negotiation, to follow!”

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”.

Also on Thursday, the US president 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.

The developments come as Trump faces mounting scrutiny over the lack of visible progress in trade talks with China – America’s third-largest trading partner – as the clock ticks on the 90-day pause in his reciprocal tariffs on all countries.

Just days after imposing new tariffs on all US trading partners on April 2, Trump paused the measures to allow time for renegotiating trade agreements, except with China, which remained the primary target of his tariff strategy.