British newspapers reported that the Johnson government is now considering whether it can enter into a North American free trade agreement negotiated by Mr Trump with Canada and Mexico. Since Britain already has deals in place with both countries, it will be a backdoor deal with the United States.
Trade analysts were surprised, noting that it would not spare the political dangers of trade talks. Furthermore, these experts said, the language in that deal, known as the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, would be detrimental to British automakers eager to export to the United States.
“Whatever makes a bilateral agreement difficult, it makes the USMCA difficult,” said Sam Lowe, a trade expert at the Center for European Reform, a research institute in London. “We’ll still talk about chlorinated chicken,” he said, referring to controversies over access to chemically treated American food.
For Mr Johnson, the complexities of a trade deal matter less than the winnings he accrues in the short term. On the eve of his visit, the White House lifted restrictions on travelers from Britain, the European Union and other countries, which had become a frightening source of trans-Atlantic tensions.