U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Britain’s preference for aligning with Brussels rather than opening its market to U.S. standards is creating a stumbling block for Washington as it seeks to expand bilateral trade arrangements.
Greer, who serves as the top trade negotiator for Donald Trump, told reporters that the U.K. has not leveraged the regulatory leeway made possible by leaving the European Union. He criticised the government for continuing to apply what he described as "pretty high tariffs" and for declining to accept goods manufactured to American standards.
"That’s how we interpret it... based on my conversations with the UK, where I say, ’Hey, you’re free of the EU. Why don’t you liberalise a little bit, accept goods made to American standards, accept agricultural goods made to American standards?'" Greer said. "And they say, ’Well, we have to wait and see what the EU says about it’. You know that is a problem for us and that’s challenging."
When asked directly whether the U.K. was taking advantage of the regulatory autonomy that came with Brexit, Greer replied: "No, they’re not."
The remarks land as Britain and the EU work to deepen cooperation six years after the formal Brexit split. At the same time, Greer’s comments were made against the backdrop of tensions between the Trump administration and several European governments, including threats of new U.S. tariffs, moves concerning Greenland, and a reduction in U.S. support for Nato.
Domestically, the U.K. leadership has signalled a shift toward closer relations with Brussels. Prime Minister Andy Burnham told parliament on Wednesday that Brexit had harmed the British economy, indicating a preference for stronger ties with the EU rather than a rapid realignment to U.S. regulatory or market approaches.
The exchange highlights an immediate hurdle for negotiators on both sides: whether the U.K. will exercise its post-Brexit regulatory freedom to accept American-made goods and agricultural products, or remain constrained by a wait-and-see stance tied to EU policy developments. That dynamic, Greer said, complicates efforts to liberalise trade between London and Washington.
Summary
Jamieson Greer, the U.S. Trade Representative, criticised the U.K. for continuing to align with EU rules and for maintaining relatively high tariffs, saying London has not used Brexit-enabled regulatory freedom to accept American-made goods and agricultural standards, which complicates efforts to expand a U.S.-U.K. trade deal. The comments come as the U.K. signals closer ties with Brussels and amid broader tensions between the Trump administration and European allies.