They're signing a trade deal. Again. Or still. It's honestly getting hard to keep track.
President Trump and Prime Minister Starmer met Monday for what felt like diplomatic déjà vu, announcing with much fanfare a US-UK trade agreement that was supposedly already announced back in May. I've been covering international trade for years, and I've rarely seen two world leaders extract so much publicity from what appears to be the same half-finished deal.
Let's be clear about what's happening here. This is political theater masquerading as diplomatic progress—a carefully choreographed performance where both sides get to claim victory without actually resolving the thorniest issues between them.
The most glaring omission? Steel tariffs. They remain untouched, stuck in the diplomatic purgatory of "ongoing discussions." Translation: neither side wants to budge, but they needed something—anything—to announce during their meeting.
"We're in the final stages of implementation," Starmer declared with the weary optimism of someone who's been waiting three months for a contractor to finish installing their kitchen cabinets.
Trump, never one for specifics when generalizations will do, promised the deal would "produce a lot of jobs, a lot of income." (How many jobs? Which sectors? Don't ask for details—that would spoil the magic.)
What's particularly fascinating about this diplomatic dance is the timing. Starmer needs an early foreign policy win to bolster his fledgling government's credentials. Trump needs to look presidential during campaign season. The mutual desperation creates a perfect environment for, well... whatever this is.
I spoke with several trade analysts who confirmed what many already suspected—this "new" announcement is mostly recycled material wrapped in fresh packaging.
The British side seems particularly eager to paint this as a breakthrough. And why wouldn't they be? Post-Brexit Britain is scrambling to replace trade relationships it voluntarily abandoned. The UK needs America far more than America needs the UK, a fact that becomes painfully obvious when you examine the recent tariff drama.
Earlier this month, Trump blindsided allies by announcing a global hike in metal tariffs to 50%. The British were reportedly shocked—SHOCKED!—until learning they'd remain at their previous 25% rate. Imagine being grateful that your punishment is merely severe instead of catastrophic.
This power imbalance defines the entire relationship.
The actual substance of the deal? British cars for American beef and some agricultural products. It's the à la carte approach to trade liberalization that's become fashionable in the post-comprehensive-trade-deal era. Pick the industries where domestic opposition is manageable, ignore the rest, and call it progress.
(Having covered trade negotiations since the collapse of the TPP, I've watched this piecemeal approach become the new normal. Grand visions of comprehensive agreements have given way to narrow, sector-specific deals that minimize political blowback.)
Markets barely reacted to Monday's announcement. They've seen enough diplomatic theater to know when to applaud and when to check their phones.
Look, both leaders got what they wanted from this meeting. Starmer demonstrated he can work with Trump—no small achievement given the ideological gap between them. Trump got to stand at a podium and talk about how he negotiated a "tremendous deal" that's "very fair."
Will the agreement eventually be fully implemented? Probably.
Will it fundamentally alter the economic relationship between these historical allies? Not a chance.
But it gave both men something to point to when critics ask what they've accomplished. In our era of performance politics, sometimes that's enough.
The special relationship continues its special confusion. Stay tuned for the next announcement of the same deal, coming to a press conference near you sometime this fall.
