Trump urges May to ‘stick around’ to finalize ‘very substantial’ US-UK trade deal

US President Donald Trump, who is in Britain on a state visit, said he believes the United Kingdom could secure a very substantial and fair trade deal with the United States after Brexit.

During a breakfast meeting at St James’s Palace, Trump told the outgoing British Prime Minister Theresa May he believed there was scope for further expansion of trade between the two countries.

“I think we’ll have a very, very substantial trade deal, it’ll be a very fair deal, and I think it’s something we both want to do,” he told May and business leaders, at the start of a roundtable meeting. “We’re going to get it done.”

The US president thanked May, who is due to resign on Friday, for doing a fantastic job. “I don’t know exactly what your timing is, but stick around. Let’s do this deal,” he said.

“We are your largest partner... I think there’s a great opportunity to greatly enlarge that, especially now,” said Trump.

READ MORE: UK PM Theresa May says Donald Trump told her to sue the EU

The United States is Britain’s second-largest economic partner after the European Union (EU). It accounts for almost 15 percent of total UK trade in goods and services. Trade between the two countries surpassed $262 billion last year, statistics show. US exports totaled $141 billion, with a modest surplus of $20 billion.

The UK is currently doing business with the world on terms negotiated by the EU, which handles trading relationships with third countries for its members. Leaving the bloc would allow the kingdom to negotiate its own trade deals.

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