Trump Aide Warns UK: Choose US Free Market Over EU "Socialist Model"

Stephen Moore, a senior economic adviser to President-elect Donald Trump, has urged Britain to prioritize trade alignment with the United States over closer ties to the European Union. Speaking from Mar-a-Lago, Moore remarked, “Britain has to decide—do you want to go towards the European socialist model or do you want to go towards the US free market?” He warned that a closer alignment with the EU would make the United States “less interested” in pursuing a free trade agreement with the UK.

Moore also emphasized the benefits of a US-UK trade deal, stating, “I think we do have a special relationship with the Brits more than we do with the Germans and the French and the rest of Europe.” 

However, UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves reaffirmed Britain’s commitment to maintaining high agricultural standards, saying, “We are not going to allow British farmers to be undercut by different rules and regulations in other countries.”

Trump has proposed blanket tariffs of up to 20 percent on goods imported to the US, a move likely to trigger a global trade war and cause significant economic damage to the UK. Imports from China face even higher tariffs of up to 60 percent. Analysts predict these tariffs would halve GDP growth in the UK, creating a £21.5 billion gap in Reeves’s tax and spending plans and increasing inflation by 3 to 4 percentage points. The EU is also expected to retaliate with its own tariffs if Trump proceeds with these measures.

This debate unfolds amid stagnating UK economic growth and ongoing discussions over future trade strategies. While Labour prioritizes reducing EU trade barriers to stimulate growth, Moore’s comments highlight the difficulties of balancing relationships with both the Trump administration and the EU in the post-Brexit era.