London (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Trump adviser says UK must pick between US economic model or EU’s ‘socialism.’
A leading adviser to the US president-elect, Donald Trump, has expressed the UK should align itself with the US “free enterprise” economic model instead of the “more socialist” European system, as speculation braces over the terms of a potential transatlantic trade agreement. Stephen Moore, a senior economic adviser to Trump, expressed that if the UK moved towards the US model of “economic freedom” there would be more “willingness” by the incoming management to consent to a trade agreement between the two countries.
What is Trump’s adviser’s stance on UK-EU alignment?
Speaking to BBC’s Today programme, Moore stated: “The UK has to choose between the European economic model of more socialism and the US model, which is more based on a free enterprise system. I think the UK is kind of caught in the middle of these two forms of an economic model. I believe that Britain would be better off moving towards more of the American model of economic freedom.
“If that were the case, I think it would spur the Trump administration’s willingness to the free trade agreement with the UK. I think it would make sense for both Britain and the United States.”
Rows over agricultural standards have scuppered previous attempts to reach a trade agreement between the UK and the US, including concerns about the sale of chlorinated chicken and hormone-fed beef in British supermarkets.
What challenges arise from Trump’s blanket tariff policy?
Moore stated: “I think we have the best agriculture hubs in the world. So I wouldn’t see that as a problem from this side of the ocean, but I do comprehend that in Britain. I know the last time I was in London, that was a big issue with many of the British folks I talked to.” Trump has offered a blanket tariff of at least 10% on all imports, as well as additional retaliatory tariffs against countries that put tariffs on US imports. Moore expressed the blanket tariff was a “fairly popular place with many American voters” but offered some countries might be exempt.
“I do think we have a special connection with Britain and I think most Americans, I think Donald Trump, considers Britain in a very different way, definitely from China or other countries that we view in a more adversarial way,” he stated.
Referencing the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which was enacted under Trump to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement, Moore stated: “We have a US, Mexico and Canada trade agreement. So, it’s certainly likely that with this uniform tariff that he’s talked about, because of our special connection with our North American neighbours, we might exempt them. So your question is, might we exempt Britain? Maybe, I don’t know the answer to that.”