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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Jamie Grierson

Trump’s economic adviser dampens Starmer’s hopes of tariffs relief

Starmer and Trump talking in front of a fireplace
Starmer and Trump in February 2025. The prime minister says he has not spoken to Trump since the trade tariffs were introduced. Photograph: Carl Court/Reuters

A senior economic adviser to Donald Trump has said it would take “an extraordinary deal” for any country, including the UK, to improve on the 10% tariff rate the US has imposed almost worldwide, pouring cold water on Downing Street’s hopes for a breakthrough.

Trump succumbed to pressure from plunging financial markets on Wednesday and temporarily reduced “retaliatory” tariffs on all countries’ goods to 10%, except those from China, which face a rate of 145%.

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