The Latest: UK says trade deal slashes tariffs on cars, steel and aluminum
U.S. President Donald Trump said from the White House on Thursday that his government has reached a trade agreement with the United Kingdom.
Trump said the deal increases access for U.S. agricultural products, though he added that the final details were still being written up. Britain says the deal will cut tariffs on U.K. cars from 27.5% to 10% and eliminate tariffs on steel and aluminum.
Here’s the latest:
Trump mocks former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg
At the end of his Oval Office news conference, Trump turned a query from a reporter about the United States’ overwhelmed air traffic control system into an opportunity to throw a sharp broadside at the leader of the Department of Transportation during the Biden administration.
“You know, he drives to work on his bicycle, with his — which in all fairness — with his husband on the back, which is a nice, loving relationship. But, he didn’t have a clue,” Trump said of Buttigieg, who regularly rode his bike to work. He added, “And he’s actually a contender for president?”
Buttigieg made an unsuccessful 2020 run for the White House. He has been an outspoken critic of Trump during the early days of his second term.
Melania Trump says motherhood ‘makes women invincible and exposed at the same time’
The president and first lady Melania Trump have addressed an event with military mothers in the White House’s East Room.
“People now love our country and they’re proud of our country again,” the president said, before noting of his wife, “She’s loved by all.”
Melania Trump talked about motherhood, calling it “the life-changing event that makes women invincible and exposed at the same time.”
“All caring mothers understand this surreal feeling,” she said.
The first lady said that “caring for ourselves will empower the next generation” before wishing those gathered a happy Mothers Day.
Trump administration steps up efforts to reduce India-Pakistan tensions
Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke Thursday with the prime minister of Pakistan and India’s foreign minister as the Trump administration stepped up efforts to prevent the nuclear-armed South Asian rivals from going to war.
In separate calls with Pakistani Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Rubio “emphasized the need for immediate de-escalation,” the State Department said.
Rubio also “expressed U.S. support for direct dialogue between India and Pakistan and encouraged continued efforts to improve communications,” according to readouts of the calls, which were identical except for specific references to recent developments that have brought the two countries to the brink of war.
In his call with Sharif, Rubio “expressed sorrow for the reported loss of civilian lives in the current conflict” without mentioning the Indian response to an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir that New Delhi has blamed on Islamabad.
In his call with Jaishankar, Rubio “reiterated his condolences for the horrific terrorist attack in Pahalgam and reaffirmed the United States’ commitment to work with India in the fight against terrorism,” the department said.
Trump says the US looking to buy a new air traffic control system
And he even suggested he was ready to announce one during his first term but couldn’t because he lost the 2020 election.
Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office, Trump called the current system “obsolete” and blamed the Biden administration for spending “tens of billions of dollars trying to take old, broken equipment and merging it into existing, new equipment with brand new equipment.”
The president said the U.S. was now in the market to buy a “gorgeous, brand new system.”
“The new equipment is unbelievable what it does,” Trump said. He started to add that it may even alleviate the need for pilots before adding, “In my opinion you always need pilots. But you wouldn’t even have to have pilots. This system is so incredible what they can do.”
Starmer says the UK didn’t lower food standards
He said the U.K. hasn’t lowered its food or animal-welfare standards to secure a trade deal with the U.S.
The deal includes increased access for U.S. beef, ethanol and other agricultural products to the British market.
There is strong public opposition in Britain to allowing in chlorine-rinsed American chicken or hormone-treated beef.
Starmer said “we said we had red lines on standards, particularly in agriculture. We’ve kept to those standards. The SPS (santitary and phytosanitary) red line is a red line that is written into the agreement.”
Biden says Pope Francis would call him ‘frequently’
“I trusted him,” Biden said, saying the late pope often called to talk to him about world events.
Both Bidens attended Francis’ recent funeral, and both were referenced as “devout Catholics” by “The View” co-host Sunny Hostin as she led into a question.
“And by the way, Jill’s a devout Presbyterian,” Biden said, gripping his wife’s hand as she laughed.
Trump says he’ll pull the nomination of Ed Martin, who defended Jan. 6 rioters, for DC US Attorney
That comes after a key Republican senator said he couldn’t support him for the job due to his defense of Jan. 6 rioters.
“We have somebody else that will be great,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday when asked about the status of Martin’s confirmation. He said it was disappointing, but “that’s the way it works sometime.”
Martin has served as acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia since Trump’s first week in office. But his hopes of keeping the job faded amid questions about his qualifications and background, including his support for rioters who stormed the U.S. Capitol over four years ago.
▶ Read more about Ed Martin’s nomination for U.S. Attorney
Trump surprised Starmer with a phone call during Arsenal game
The U.K. and U.S. have been negotiating a trade deal for months, but Prime Minister Keir Starmer says the timing of Thursday’s announcement came as a surprise.
Starmer, a huge fan of Premier League soccer team Arsenal, said Trump phoned him to finalize the deal Wednesday evening “halfway through the second half” of the team’s Champion’s League semi-final against Paris Saint Germain. Arsenal lost 2-1.
President Trump’s declaration on Truth Social that the U.S. and U.K. had struck a deal left the British government scrambling to arrange a short-notice announcement by Starmer.
Starmer’s office invited journalists to a speech by the prime minister at a car factory in central England — but sent them to the wrong city. Reporters were told to go to a Jaguar Land Rover plant in Coventry instead of one in Solihull, about 20 miles and a half-hour drive away. Once the mistake was realized, reporters had to rush to get to the real location in time for the announcement.
Biden says ‘yes’ when asked if he bears any responsibility for Trump’s win
“I was in charge, and he won,” Biden said on “The View” in response to a question of his role in Trump’s return to the White House. “I take responsibility.”
Biden went on to note that some of what he accomplished during his four years in office took a long time to implement and get the word out to the Americans whose lives would be affected positively.
Trump praises Rolls Royce and says his comments would make a ‘good commercial’
Trump says U.S. auto tariffs won’t force the iconic British automaker Rolls Royce to make its cars elsewhere.
But he also said similar exemptions won’t be offered to other foreign automakers “unless somebody shows me that there’s another kind of a car that’s comparable to a Rolls Royce.”
The president then added with a laugh that his comments were “a good commercial for Rolls Royce.”
That prompted a suggestion that Trump could perhaps buy a Rolls, and that even a “very modest discount” could be available.
“I’ve had many of them, actually,” Trump responded.
The president recently announced buying a Tesla to support the company’s CEO, Elon Musk, who has faced criticism for leading the Trump administration’s government-cutting efforts. He even held an event with new Teslas lined up outside the White House.
Trump says other deals will have higher than 10% on tariffs
Asked whether the baseline 10% tariff on U.K. products would be a template for future trade deals with other nations, the U.S. president said “no.”
“That’s a low number” Trump says of the 10%. He added that the U.K. “made a good deal. Many, some will be much higher.”
Trump says port slowdown is ‘good’
Trump says it’s “good” that U.S. ports are seeing slowdowns amid his steep tariffs on Chinese imports.
Speaking to reporters as he announced a trade agreement with the United Kingdom, Trump dismissed concerns about the slowdown’s effects on dockworkers and truckers.
“That’s good,” Trump said, adding, “That means we lose less money.”
Trump is trying to close U.S. trade deficits but has acknowledged his tariffs can result in higher consumer prices and empty shelves.
Trump says of UK trade deal, ‘James Bond has nothing to worry about’
Trump is suggesting that James Bond will benefit from the U.S.-U.K. trade deal he’s announcing.
The agreement is set to ease tariffs on cars, and Trump was asked if that was a positive development for the movie hero who drives British-made Aston Martins.
Trump referenced his previous threats to possibly impose tariffs on foreign movie-making interests but added, “James Bond has noting to worry about, that I can tell you.”
He also noted that Sean Connery — who played the first film version of James Bond in 1962’s “Dr. No” — was a friend.
He didn’t mention Bond’s penchant for Aston Martins, but said later that another famed British automaker, Rolls Royce, would continue to be made in Britain and “I wouldn’t even ask” the company to move its operations elsewhere.
Starmer says the deal will protect UK auto jobs
The British prime minister has told autoworkers a trade deal with the U.S. will protect thousands of jobs in the sector.
Starmer said he chose to announce the agreement at a Jaguar Land Rover plant “as soon as I knew this deal was coming in today” because it was so important to the industry.
He told the workers “this is just the start,” saying “we are hammering out further details to reduce barriers to trade with the United States and across the world.”
‘A very good weekend’
Trump expressed optimism about upcoming trade talks between the U.S. and China. Officials from both countries are slated to meet in Switzerland for an initial round of conversations.
“I think we’re going to have a very good weekend,” the president said.
Trump left in place high tariffs on China, leading to a trade confrontation between the world’s two largest economies.
Biden says he ‘did not advise’ Harris not to differentiate from him
Asked if he’d encouraged Harris to mirror his priorities in her own campaign, Biden responded: “I did not advise her to say that.”
When she appeared on “The View” during her run last year, Harris said nothing “comes to mind” when asked what she would do differently than Biden.
“She was part of every success we had,” Biden said, adding that he and his vice president had differences of opinion on various issues.
“We argued like hell, by the way,” he said. “We worked it out.”
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick praises Trump as the ‘best dealmaker’
Lutnick, who helped negotiate the framework of the trade agreement with the UK, poured on praise for his boss. He said it would have taken him and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer up to three years to close such a deal without Trump.
“So he’s the closer he gets deals done that we could never get done because he understands business,” Lutnick said. “He understands deals. That’s why we’re here today.”
UK says deal slashes tariffs on cars and steel
Britain says its new trade deal with the United States will cut tariffs on U.K. cars from 27.5% to 10% and eliminates tariffs on steel and aluminum.
The British government says deal sets a quota of 100,000 U.K. vehicles that can be imported to the U.S. at a 10% tariff.
It says the Trump-imposed 25% tariff on British steel will fall to nothing.
The U.K. says the agreement includes new reciprocal market access on beef, and removes the tariff on ethanol — which is used to produce beer — coming into the U.K. from the US, down to zero.
Biden says he ‘wasn’t surprised’ at Kamala Harris’ loss
The former president said he was “very disappointed but I wasn’t surprised” at his party’s loss after he quit the ticket, particularly because Trump’s campaign “went the sexist route” in attacking Harris’ candidacy.
“I’ve never seen quite as successful and consistent campaign undercutting the notion that a woman could lead the country,” Biden said, adding that he talks to Harris “frequently” and that she had sought his opinion, but “I’m not going to tell you what it is.”
Biden said he hopes Harris “stays fully engaged” and didn’t speculate about what her next political move would be.
Former President Joe Biden appears on ‘The View’ for an interview
While he was still president, Biden appeared on the show ahead of last year’s election.
Biden playfully jogged onto the set for Thursday’s show, taking the center seat at the U-shaped table facing cameras and the audience.
“I miss being here,” Biden said as hosts said the audience’s reaction indicated he had been missed.
Biden said he and his family were trying to figure out “the most significant and consequential role” he could be playing, and that he was also writing a book.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer: It’s fitting that a UK-US trade deal has been sealed on VE Day
VE Day is the anniversary of the end of World War II in Europe.
In a phone call with President Trump, Starmer said “it was about this time of day 80 years ago that Winston Churchill announced victory in Europe.”
He said Thursday is a “fantastic, historic day” that will bring the two countries closer together.
Trump to speak with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later Thursday
The president says he’ll be talking with Zelenskyy after Ukraine’s parliament voted to ratify a landmark mineral deal with the U.S.
Trump disclosed that he’d be speaking with Zelenskyy after noting “we just concluded the rare earth deal with Ukraine.”
The agreement, seen as a key step before a potential peace deal between Ukraine and Russia, gives the U.S. access to a “massive amount” of “high-quality” rare earth material in Ukraine, Trump says.
‘Final details’ still to come
Although Trump has touted the trade deal with the U.K., he also conceded there’s more work to do.
“The final details are being written up,” he said in the Oval Office. “In the coming weeks, we’ll have it all very conclusive.”
Trade agreements are notoriously complex and can be time consuming to finalize. However, Trump has been racing to reach deals as he tries to fulfill his promises since launching his tariff agenda last month.
Trump announces a trade agreement with the UK
The deal affirms that “reciprocity and fairness is a vital principle of international trade,” Trump said from the Oval Office. It increases access for U.S. beef, ethanol, and other agricultural products, Trump added.
It also fast tracks American goods through the U.K.’s customs process, Trump said. He cautioned that final details will come in the “coming weeks.”
“They’re opening up the country,” Trump said. “The country is a little closed.”
House follows Trump’s lead with a vote to change the Gulf of Mexico to ‘Gulf of America’
The Republican-led House passed the bill Thursday that would direct federal agencies to update their documents and maps to incorporate the new name.
Trump already signed an executive order during his first day in office to rename the Gulf. House Republicans are looking to show their support, though it’s unclear whether the Senate will go along. The bill passed by a vote of 211-206.
The body of water has shared borders between the United States and Mexico. Trump’s order only carries authority within the U.S. Mexico, as well as other countries and international bodies, don’t have to recognize the name change.
Democrats said the vote demonstrated that Republicans aren’t focusing on the priorities of most Americans. New York Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, the House’s top Democrat, asked Democrats to vote against this “silly, small-minded and sycophantic piece of legislation.”
▶ Read more about the name change
Trump says release of Jimmy Lai could be part of trade talks with Beijing
In a podcast, President Trump said he would make the release of the prominent Hong Kong businessman a part of his administration’s trade talks with China.
In an interview with Hugh Hewitt that was aired Wednesday, Trump was asked about his promise to get Jimmy Lai out and said: “I think talking about Jimmy Lai is a very good idea. We’ll put it down, and we’ll put it down as part of the negotiation.”
Lai is 77 and founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper known for its anti-Beijing stance. He’s standing trial in Hong Kong on national security charges and could be jailed for life. Before he was elected, Trump had said he would “100 percent” get Lai out.
First lady Melania Trump will host event commemorating Barbara Bush at the White House
She’ll unveil a U.S postage stamp Thursday afternoon featuring Bush, who was married to former President George H. W. Bush, and is the mother of former President George W. Bush.
Barbara Bush died in 2018.
Members of the Bush family are expected to be in attendance.
Melania Trump’s spokesperson says the first lady and her staff and looking forward to paying tribute to the legacy of Barbara Bush.
Trump gets his first trade deal
When the president retreated from his tariff plans in April, he announced that he would seek individual deals with various countries over the next few months.
The process has been shrouded in mystery since then, and administration officials have said they’re hard at work behind the scenes.
Now Trump gets to announce the first of what he says will be may trade deals. The agreement with the U.K. will likely be limited in scope to specific sectors, such as car manufacturing.
However, the president says it’s a sign of things to come. He wrote on Truth Social that there are “many other deals, which are in serious stages of negotiation, to follow!”
President Trump renews attack on Fed chair, calling him a ‘FOOL’
Trump criticized Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell early Thursday, a day after Powell said the Fed would keep its key interest rate unchanged for the third straight meeting.
Yet Trump did not suggest he would seek to remove Powell as chair. On Sunday, he said he would let Powell serve out his term, which lasts until next May.
Powell said Wednesday that Trump’s tariffs, if they remained in place at their current level, could weaken the economy, raise inflation and increase unemployment. Powell emphasized that the Fed is still in “wait-and-see” mode as it evaluates the tariffs’ effect on the economy.
Trump said “almost all costs” are down, including groceries and eggs, and added that there’s “virtually NO INFLATION.”
Consumer prices did fall in March, on a monthly basis, for the first time in nearly five years. Yet grocery costs jumped 0.5% just from February to March. The Fed considers inflation in check when it falls to 2%. It was 2.4% in March.
The US-UK trade deal was sought for years
When then-British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was campaigning for Brexit, he told voters that leaving the European Union would allow Britain to negotiate its own trade agreement with the United States. But although talks began at the end of Trump’s first term, they never came to fruition.
Negotiations languished under President Joe Biden, a Democrat and a critic of Brexit.
Now with Trump back in office, the U.S. and the U.K. are poised to announce a trade deal. Although it’s unlikely to be as “full and comprehensive” as the Republican president has claimed, it’s expected to ease the burden of his tariffs.
Trump wrote on Truth Social that it will “cement the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom for many years to come.”
▶ Read more about the trade deal between the U.S. and the U.K.
Ukraine’s parliament ratifies a minerals deal with the US
Ukraine’s Parliament unanimously voted in favor of ratifying of a landmark minerals deal with the U.S. on Thursday afternoon, a lawmaker said.
The ratification is a key step in setting the deal in motion. It calls for the creation of a joint investment fund with the U.S.
Parliament approved the agreement with 338 members voting in favor out of the required 226 votes, Ukrainian lawmaker Yaroslav Zheleznyak wrote on his Telegram account. No lawmaker voted against it or abstained.
Trump’s Thursday schedule, according to the White House
10 a.m.: Trump will deliver his anticipated trade announcement, likely announcing the deal between the U.S. and the United Kingdom
12 p.m.: Trump and the first lady will participate in a celebration of military mothers at the White House
Trump campaign architects are now training their sights on Albania’s upcoming election
Some of the architects of Trump’s presidential campaigns have reunited in Albania as they try to help a Trumpian candidate prevail in this weekend’s elections.
They include Chris LaCivita, who served as co-campaign manager of Trump’s successful 2024 effort, Trump’s longtime pollster Tony Fabrizio, and Paul Manafort, who served as chairman of Trump’s 2016 campaign before he was convicted in 2018 of crimes that included secretly lobbying for Ukraine’s former pro-Russian president.
The trio is working for former prime minister and president Sali Berisha, the head of Albania’s opposition Democratic Party, who is challenging Prime Minister Edi Rama to return the Democrats to power, even as he awaits trial on corruption charges.
▶ Read more about the upcoming Albanian election
Trump taps wellness influencer close to Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for surgeon general
Trump is tapping Dr. Casey Means, a physician-turned-wellness influencer with close ties to Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., as his nominee for surgeon general after withdrawing his initial pick for the influential health post.
Trump said in a social media post Wednesday that Means has “impeccable ‘MAHA’ credentials” – referring to the “ Make America Healthy Again ” slogan – and that she will work to eradicate chronic disease and improve the health and well-being of Americans.
In doing so, Trump withdrew former Fox News medical contributor Janette Nesheiwat from consideration for the job, marking at least the second health-related pick from Trump to be pulled from Senate consideration. Nesheiwat had been scheduled to appear before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee Thursday for her confirmation hearing.
Means and her brother, former lobbyist Calley Means, served as key advisers to Kennedy’s longshot 2024 presidential bid and helped broker his endorsement of Trump last summer.
▶ Read more about Trump’s new pick for surgeon general
States sue the Trump administration for blocking funds for electric vehicle charging
Seventeen states are suing the Trump administration for withholding billions of dollars for building more electric vehicle chargers, according to a federal lawsuit announced Wednesday.
The Trump administration in February directed states to stop spending money for electric vehicle charging infrastructure that was allocated under President Joe Biden — part of a broader push by the Republican president to roll back environmental policies advanced by his Democratic predecessor. The EV charger program was set to allocate $5 billion over five years to various states, of which an estimated $3.3 billion had already been made available.
The lawsuit is led by attorneys general from California, Colorado and Washington, and challenges the Federal Highway Administration’s authority to halt the funding. They argue Congress, which approved the money in 2021 as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, holds that authority.
▶ Read more about the lawsuit
US and UK expected to announce a trade deal that Trump says will cement their relationship
The United States and Britain are expected to announce a trade deal on Thursday that will lower the burden of Trump’s sweeping tariffs and deliver a political victory for U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
Trump posted on his Truth Social platform that a deal due to be announced at 10 a.m. EDT (1400 GMT) will be a “full and comprehensive one that will cement the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom for many years to come.”
It’s the first bilateral trade deal announced since Trump began slapping tariffs on U.S. trading partners. He said: “Many other deals, which are in serious stages of negotiation, to follow!”
Starmer’s office said the prime minister would give an “update” about U.S. trade talks later Thursday.
▶ Read more about the expected announcement
By The Associated Press
