Trump Secures U.K. Trade Deal, Previews China Talks, and Teases Canada Statehood

President Donald Trump sealed a landmark trade agreement with the United Kingdom on Thursday, a move that reinforces his administration’s push for reciprocal trade policies. The deal, while light on specifics, maintains the existing 10% tariffs on U.K. goods but eases import taxes on key items like steel and automobiles. Trump hailed the agreement as a win for American farmers, noting it opens billions in market access for U.S. agriculture, including beef and ethanol.

"This deal is about fairness," Trump declared at the White House. "It’s a signal to the world that the U.S. will prioritize its workers and farmers." The agreement comes on the heels of Trump’s Liberation Day tariff announcements on April 2, which imposed widespread duties on multiple nations, later adjusted to a 145% tariff on Chinese goods and a 10% baseline for others.

Looking ahead, Trump teased upcoming trade talks with China, set to begin Saturday in Switzerland. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will lead the negotiations, with Trump expressing optimism about Beijing’s eagerness to strike a deal. "China wants this," he told reporters, brushing off questions about who initiated the talks. "What matters is what happens in that room."

Elsewhere, Trump stirred headlines during a Tuesday meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. The president reiterated his provocative idea of Canada joining the U.S. as a state, a notion Carney firmly rejected. "Canada’s not for sale," Carney said, emphasizing partnership over annexation. Trump, undeterred, quipped, "Never say never." The exchange underscored Trump’s bold, often theatrical approach to diplomacy.

In a quieter moment, Trump welcomed Ksenia Karelina, a Russian-American ballet dancer, to the White House on Monday. Karelina, freed in a U.S.-Russia prisoner swap in April after facing a 12-year sentence in Russia for treason, expressed heartfelt gratitude. "I’ve never felt more blessed to be American," she said, a testament to the administration’s efforts to bring citizens home.