Jonathan Reynolds will urge Donald Trump’s administration to exempt British steel from punitive tariffs as he embarks on high-stakes trade negotiations in Washington.
On Tuesday, the Business Secretary will become the first UK minister to hold direct talks with the new Trump administration, aiming to secure crucial exemptions from the US president’s global tariff regime.
Mr Reynolds is set to meet Howard Lutnick, the US Commerce Secretary, and Jamieson Greer, the US Trade Representative, to explore a broader economic deal between Britain and America—one that he hopes will include relief for the UK’s steel industry.
His visit follows Mr Trump’s recent decision to impose 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports, with a promise of further “reciprocal” tariffs taking effect from 2 April. The White House has also announced plans to factor local VAT charges into its calculations for these tariffs—a move that could hit UK exports hard, given Britain’s 20% VAT rate.
A fight to protect UK industry
Mr Reynolds has pledged to raise the steel tariffs issue during his discussions with Trump officials, emphasising the importance of safeguarding British industries.
Support authors and subscribe to content
This is premium stuff. Subscribe to read the entire article.
