"Comprehensive" in Name Only: The U.S.–U.K. Trade Deal Is a BS Photo Op at Best

Tariffs, Tech Promises, and a Whole Lot of Spin - This Isn't a Trade Deal, It's an Attempt to Move The Market's/Make People Think the US is Winning....

Today, President Trump announced a “historic” and “comprehensive” new trade deal between the United States and the United Kingdom. Except, it’s anything but.

What they didn’t say out loud? It’s not comprehensive. It’s barely historic. And it might not even qualify as a trade deal—at least not in the way economists, diplomats, or WTO lawyers would recognize one.

Still, if you squint, there’s something in there. Just not what they’re selling.

Let’s unpack the press conference fluff from the policy reality.

🇺🇸🇬🇧 What’s Actually in the Deal?

What’s important to remember as this isn’t even a deal. In a “concpet” of a plan or outline for the following minimal concessions. AKA, A Joke.

Here’s what made the cut:

• Steel & Aluminum Tariffs Lifted: Trump’s infamous 25% tariffs on British metals are gone. This is a win for U.K. steel producers, especially those exporting to U.S. auto and aerospace markets.

• Autos, Sort Of: American car buyers get a break—but only on the first 100,000 U.K.-made vehicles (think Jaguar Land Rover). The rest still get hit with the old 25% tariff. Generous.

• Ethanol & Beef Exports: U.S. farmers get easier access to British markets. Beef quotas expand (13,000 tonnes) and ethanol flows more freely. Food safety standards, the U.K. insists, will not be compromised.

• Tech “Cooperation”: A vague promise to collaborate on emerging technologies—quantum computing, biotech, life sciences. Not binding. Not defined. Not a trade agreement.

• A Boeing Deal: A British airline will purchase $10 billion worth of Boeing aircraft. That’s not a trade agreement either—it’s a procurement decision.

The Boeing Deal is a favor. China and several other countries that Trump slapped tariffs on have canceled billions in Boeing business.

What’s Not In the Deal?

Let’s talk about the fine print. Or, more accurately, the fine print that doesn’t exist.

• No Comprehensive Services Deal
  No new access for banking, legal, creative or digital services—the lifeblood of both economies.

• No Investment Chapter
  No new protections for cross-border investors or mechanisms to resolve disputes.

• No Digital Trade Framework
  The U.K.’s 2% digital services tax on Big Tech stays, which means no movement toward a U.S.-style e-commerce agreement.

• No Labor, Environmental, or IP Standards
  Zero enforceable standards or side agreements—typically expected in 21st-century trade deals.

• No Treaty Text at All
  There is no legally binding document yet. Just a press release and an agreement in principle. Think handshake over hors d'oeuvres.

Experts: “It’s a Deal. Just Not That Kind of Deal.”

Let’s talk about that word—“comprehensive.”

In trade-speak, a comprehensive free trade agreement (FTA) is one that covers 90%+ of goods and services, includes enforceable rules on investment, dispute resolution, digital trade, labor, and more. By WTO standards, this is a starter pack.

Trade economists like Jonathan Haskel (LSE) and Jonathan Portes (King’s College) are clear: this is a tariff carve-out, not a trade overhaul. Portes said it best—“Damage limitation, not economic transformation.”

Tim Brightbill, a former U.S. trade negotiator, called it “just a framework” to begin real negotiations. Experts at Chatham House and the UK Trade Policy Observatory echo the sentiment: It’s progress, but it’s baby steps.

World-famous economist Justin Wolfers mocked Trump’s fake deal, even if it becomes a reality. The US has a trade surplus with the UK and is America's 11th most significant trading partner.

British Media: “Well… At Least It’s Something.”

The U.K. press reaction? Mixed.

• The Guardian noted No. 10 Downing Street refused to repeat Trump’s “comprehensive” language.

• The Independent called it a “first step,” not a Brexit breakthrough.

• Sky News pointed out the obvious: there’s no treaty, just bullet points.

That didn’t stop Starmer from calling it “historic.” Or Trump from calling it “maxed out.” But most analysts agree: this is a modest deal with real benefits for a few sectors—and very little else.

Political Wins, Economic Shrugs

Make no mistake: there’s political value here.

• Trump gets to act like his tariff war strategy worked.

• Starmer gets to claim victory after years of post-Brexit stagnation.

• Steelworkers and carmakers get relief.

• Farmers (on both sides) get access.

But the economic lift is modest. GDP won’t spike. Market access remains constrained. And calling it “comprehensive” is like calling ketchup a vegetable.

Trump himself said it was a concept of a plan today, not a deal. Despite what he wants his Truth Social/Twitter followers to believe, this is nothing more than a photo op and an attempt to move markets while pretending his bullshit Trade War is working.

Why Call It Comprehensive?

Because optics matter more than outcomes.

For Trump, it's a campaign-style victory lap. For Starmer, it’s proof Britain isn’t friend-zoned post-Brexit. But for the rest of us? It’s a case study in headline diplomacy—branding over substance.

No one wants to say it out loud, but here it is: this is not a full trade deal. It’s a glorified tariff relief package with a nice PowerPoint presentation.

✅ Final Verdict: Progress, Not Breakthrough

This deal is better than nothing, but it’s close to nothing and certainly not a “comprehensive” trade deal.

It eases pressure on a couple of key industries. It sets the stage for deeper talks. And politically, it’s a signal that U.K.–U.S. relations are back on track.

But it’s not transformative. It’s not comprehensive. And it’s not a full trade agreement.

The only thing this deal transforms is the definition of the word “deal.”

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