President Donald Trump’s mercurial nature and leadership style has often left global heads of state at a loss as to how to find favor with the U.S. leader, but the U.K. appears to have struck on a magic formula when it comes to winning over Trump.
Not only was the U.K. first to sign a trade deal with the president, achieving a lower tariff rate on car and steel and exports to the States, but it also appears to have won him over on a more instinctive and emotional level.
As Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer appeared in a jovial mood at the Group of Seven summit on Monday, having taken another step toward formalizing the U.S.-U.K. trade deal agreed in May, Trump was asked whether Britain would be protected from further tariffs.
“The U.K. is very well protected. You know why? Because I like them. That’s their ultimate protection,” Trump responded.
“I just signed it, and it’s done,” the president said, calling the agreement a “fair deal for both.”
