UK and US to Announce Tech, Energy Deals

Source Credit : Reuters

The United States and Britain will announce agreements on technology and civil nuclear energy during U.S. President Donald Trump's unprecedented second state visit this week, as the UK hopes to finalise steel tariffs under a much-vaunted trade deal.

Trump and his wife, Melania, will be treated to a display of British royal pageantry during their visit on Wednesday, including a carriage tour, a state banquet, a flypast by military aircraft and a gun salute.

The British government hopes the soft power of the royals will appeal to Trump as it seeks tighter defence, security and energy ties with Washington, having already secured a favourable tariff deal.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer will host Trump at his Chequers country residence on Thursday to discuss working more closely together, on issues like Ukraine, and with the aim of finalising promised lower tariffs for steel and aluminium.

A spokesperson for Starmer said the leaders would sign "a world-leading tech partnership". The two countries will also sign multi-billion dollar deals to develop small nuclear projects which could in some cases help power new AI data centres.

"The UK-U.S. relationship is the strongest in the world," Starmer's spokesperson told reporters. "This week we are delivering a step change in that relationship."

The British leader, a technocrat and a self-proclaimed socialist, and Trump, a proudly unpredictable politician who has pushed the Republican Party further to the right, have overcome their differences to develop a good working relationship.

Starmer was the first world leader to agree an economic deal with Trump on reducing his global tariffs.

Under that agreement, the United States said it planned to reduce tariffs on imports of cars and aluminium and steel. While details on car tariffs were agreed in June, the deal for steel and aluminium is yet to be finalised.