British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has pushed back against Donald Trump’s stance on trade, saying the use of tariffs against allied nations is “completely wrong.”
Speaking after Trump’s remarks on imposing or expanding tariffs, Starmer warned that targeting allies would damage long-standing partnerships, disrupt global supply chains, and undermine cooperation among Western economies. He stressed the importance of maintaining open trade and strong diplomatic relations at a time of heightened geopolitical tensions.
The comments highlight growing differences between London and Washington over trade policy and economic strategy, as global markets watch closely for signs of renewed protectionism.
00:00Good morning. The world has become markedly more turbulent in recent weeks. Events are moving fast
00:14and in moments like this what matters most is being clear about the values and the interests
00:22that guide us even as circumstances change. The United Kingdom has a long history. Our values were
00:33not improvised they were built patiently over time and while we are pragmatic in how we pursue our
00:42interests we are resolute in defending those values when it matters. So let me begin with the United
00:52States. The UK and the US are close allies and close partners. That relationship matters profoundly
01:02not just to our security but to the prosperity and the stability that people here depend upon.
01:12Under President Trump as under previous presidents we're determined to keep that relationship strong
01:19constructive and focused on results. And that approach is delivering. Through sustained engagement we've
01:30seen significant US investment into the UK economy running into hundreds of billions of pounds supporting
01:38growth skills and jobs right across the country. Our cooperation on defense nuclear capability and
01:47intelligence remains as close and effective as anywhere in the world keeping Britain safe in an increasingly
01:56dangerous environment. We've secured good trading terms in key sectors including cars, steel, aerospace and life sciences
02:06protecting British jobs and manufacturers. That is why we take the approach that we do. Because it delivers
02:16concrete outcomes in the national interest. I talk regularly to President Trump and my team is in daily contact
02:27with all the key figures in his administration. These relationships matter. They deliver concrete outcomes
02:35in the national interest. Mature alliances are not about pretending differences don't exist. They are about addressing
02:48them directly, respectfully and with a focus on results. On Greenland the right way to approach an issue of this
02:59seriousness is through calm discussion between allies. And let's be clear the security of Greenland matters. And it will matter more as climate change
03:11reshapes the Arctic. As sea routes open and strategic competition intensifies, the high north will require greater attention,
03:20greater investment and stronger collective defense. The United States will be central to that effort. And the UK stands ready to contribute fully
03:32alongside our allies through NATO. But there is a principle here that cannot be set aside because it goes to the heart of how stable and trusted
03:48international cooperation works. And so any decision about the future status of Greenland belongs to the people of Greenland
03:59and the Kingdom of Denmark alone. That right is fundamental and we support it. Denmark is a close ally of the United Kingdom
04:13and of the United States, a proud NATO member that has stood shoulder to shoulder with us, including at real human cost in recent decades.
04:25Alliances endure because they're built on respect and partnership, not pressure. That is why I said the use of tariffs against allies is completely wrong.
04:42It is not the right way to resolve differences within an alliance.
04:47Nor is it helpful to frame efforts to strengthen Greenland's security as a justification for economic pressure.
04:58Such measures hurt British workers, British businesses and the British economy.
05:06And that is why I've been so clear on this issue.
05:09A trade war is in no one's interest and my job is always to act in the UK's national interest.
05:19That is why yesterday I spoke to President Trump, to European leaders and to the Secretary General of NATO to find a solution rooted in partnership, facts and mutual respect.
05:37Because that is how strong alliances protect, because that is how strong alliances protect, shared interests.
05:43The same is true on other issues.
05:46In the Middle East, we welcome President Trump's focus on sustaining the ceasefire in Gaza and moving on to phase two.
05:56We are open to participating constructively in such efforts.
05:59On Ukraine, I can be brief, we strongly support efforts to bring the killing to an end and secure a ceasefire as soon as possible.
06:12We recognize President Trump's role in pushing that process forward.
06:17And we will work closely with the United States, Ukraine and our other allies to apply pressure where it belongs on Putin.
06:28Finally, let me say why all this matters so directly to people here at home.
06:38In today's world, geopolitics is not something that happens somewhere else.
06:45It shapes the cost of energy, the price of food, the security of jobs and the stability that families rely on to plan their lives.
06:55When war drives up fuel prices, it's households who feel it first.
07:02When supply chains fracture, it's small businesses and working people who absorb the shock.
07:08But when instability grows, it's rarely those with the most power who pay the price.
07:17That is why this government's approach is rooted in a simple belief that we must use every tool of government, domestic and international, to fight for the interests of ordinary people.
07:32At home, that means active government.
07:38It means taking responsibility for economic stability so that inflation is controlled, interest rates come down and family budgets are protected.
07:48It means stepping in where markets fail, strengthening resilience and ensuring that global shocks do not always land on the same people in the same places, the people least able to withstand them.
08:04That's why we've taken action to reduce energy bills, to freeze railfares and prescription charges.
08:11But tackling the cost of living today also means engagement beyond our borders.
08:18It requires shaping the world around us, not retreating from it.
08:23It requires strong alliances, steady diplomacy and rules that reduce uncertainty rather than amplify it.
08:33That is why our commitment to international law and to alliances founded on trust is not abstract or ideological.
08:42It's practical.
08:44It's about stability, predictability and fairness.
08:47The conditions that keep prices down, the conditions that keep prices down, jobs secure and economies resilient.
08:54That is what active government looks like in an age of uncertainty.
09:00Steady at home, engaged abroad and always focused on protecting the people that we serve.
09:09Britain is a pragmatic country.
09:12We look for agreement.
09:15We believe in partnership.
09:16We prefer solutions to slogans and we will not indulge in commentary and gesture politics that harm the British people.
09:27But being pragmatic does not mean being passive.
09:32And partnership does not mean abandoning principle.
09:36That is why it's important to be clear about who we stand with, what we stand for and where our interests lie.
09:47Now, this is a moment for the whole country to pull together.
09:52So I warmly welcome the support we've had with regards to...
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