President Donald Trump announced Thursday a new trade deal with the United Kingdom, the first to be finalized since he launched his global tariff offensive. From the Oval Office and with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on speakerphone, Trump described the pact as "a great victory for both countries" and a first step toward "reshaping the global trading system."

As reported by The New York Times, the U.S. president assured that the agreement contemplates billions of dollars in new market access for U.S. exports, particularly beef, ethanol and other agricultural products. "It's a great deal for both countries," said Trump.

The announcement took even some senior British officials by surprise and was greeted with enthusiasm by the financial markets. Wall Street responded with across-the-board gains: the Dow Jones, the S\&P 500 and the Nasdaq rose between 0.4% and 0.6%, reflecting the relief generated by any progress on the trade front, amid recent volatility caused by tariffs.

A pact with political weight

Although the technical details of the treaty have not yet been released, Trump described it as "comprehensive" and "complete," and promised that "many more deals will be coming" in the weeks ahead. The White House noted that the United Kingdom, one of the closest U.S. allies, had avoided the harsher tariffs imposed on other nations, although it still faces tariffs on steel, aluminum and automobiles, central issues in the negotiation.

For British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the agreement represents not only a political victory, but the validation of his strategy of rapprochement with President Trump, seeking to offset the effects of Brexit and strengthen ties outside the European continent.

According to The New York Times, the two sides have discussed reducing British tariffs on U.S. cars and agricultural products, as well as eliminating digital taxes affecting large U.S. tech companies.

Balanced trade

The U.S. and U.K. have a relatively balanced trade relationship. In the first quarter of 2025, the U.S. exported $80 billion in machinery, aircraft, natural gas and crude oil to the U.K., while importing $68 billion in automobiles, pharmaceuticals and other goods, according to figures cited by The New York Times.

Despite this, Trump included the UK within his 10% "universal tariff", although he did not subject it to harsher measures as he did with other economies. For analysts, this reflects that the agreement was driven more by geopolitical and strategic reasons than by immediate tariff pressures.

Beyond the Atlantic

During the same announcement, Trump revealed that the United States and Ukraine had fully ratified a strategic minerals agreement, and that he planned to speak with President Volodymyr Zelensky later that day.

The timing of the announcement of both agreements appears to respond to a domestic and external political rationale: to show leadership, regain momentum in the markets, and reinforce his influence over key allies.

For critics, however, there remain more questions than answers: How far does this agreement represent a real change in international trade conditions? How strategic is this shift? Is this a Pyrrhic victory for a government that has practically set fire to international markets for the sake of strategic results?

What is certain is that, in a world marked by the return of tariffs and trade fragmentation, Trump has achieved what he sought: to signal that his "pressure first, negotiate later" approach can pay off. It now remains to be seen whether other countries will follow suit.

With information from AFP