Starmer under pressure to secure US trade deal after Trump suggests Australia could avoid 25% steel tariffs US president said he would give ‘great consideration’ to handing Australia an exemption from the 25% hike because of a trade surplus.
UK Steel director general Gareth Stace said: “It is deeply disappointing if President Trump sees the need to target UK steel, given our relatively small production volumes compared to major steel nations.
Sir Keir Starmer is under increasing pressure to secure a deal with Donald Trump after the US president said he could exempt Australia from punishing tariffs on steel.
The US is the world’s second-largest export market after the EU, although the government said it had only accounted for 5 per cent of UK steel exports in 2023.
As well as hitting UK exports to the US, a global trade war could see an influx of cheaper imports that would put British suppliers out of business.
