US President Donald Trump is scheduled to meet with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday in Scotland. This follows the announcement of a trade framework in May and a broader agreement reached during last month’s G7 summit in Canada.
Trump has stated that the deal is finalised and that the two leaders will address additional topics, although the White House has indicated that the agreement may still require some refinements. The European Union has cautioned that in the absence of a finalised deal, it is prepared to introduce tariffs on hundreds of US goods, including beef, auto parts, beer, and Boeing aircraft.
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Leaving the White House on Friday, Trump said, “We have a 50-50 chance, maybe less than that, but a 50-50 chance of making a deal with the EU.” He said the deal would have to “buy down” the currently scheduled tariff rate of 30% on the bloc of 27 member states.
Later, von der Leyen posted on X that, “Following a good call” with Trump, the pair had ”agreed to meet in Scotland on Sunday to discuss transatlantic trade relations, and how we can keep them strong.”
The US. and EU seemed close to reaching a deal earlier this month, but Trump instead threatened a 30% tariff rate on the bloc of nations. Still, Trump’s original deadline for beginning such tariffs has already passed, and is now delayed until at least Friday.
Flying to Scotland to enjoy his golf courses hasn’t stopped the president from talking trade.
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After going to Turnberry to play nine holes, have lunch, then play nine more, Trump posted that he’d block any trade deals between the U.S. and Cambodia and Thailand since the two southeast Asian countries remain locked in violent clashes in long-disputed border areas, AP reported.
Trump wrote that he spoke with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and Phumtham Wechayachai, the acting prime minister of Thailand, to call for a ceasefire.
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“I am trying to simplify a complex situation!” he wrote on Truth Social after disclosing his conversation with the Cambodian leader. After speaking with Wechayachai, Trump said both countries want peace and added: “Ceasefire, Peace, and Prosperity seem to be a natural.”
The actual likelihood of a deal with the EU, meanwhile, remains to be seen.
Trump recently said he thought the odds of reaching a framework with Japan were 25%, but the U.S. and Japan subsequently announced an agreement this past week.
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Earlier in his term, the president boasted that he would use the ongoing threat of steep U.S. tariffs as a bargaining tool to secure better trade terms and reduce deficits with key American allies. However, those efforts have largely failed to meet expectations, placing added pressure on Trump to deliver a trade agreement with a major global player like the European Union.
(With inputs from agencies)