Trump says US working with UK’s Boris Johnson on ‘very substantial trade agreement’

President Trump said Friday that the U.S. is working with newly minted British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on a “substantial” trade agreement.

“We’re working already on a trade agreement. And I think it’ll be a very substantial trade agreement,” Trump told reporters at the White House.

“I think we can do three to four or five times what we’re doing.”

Donald Trump says he’s already working on a trade deal with Boris Johnson – and that the UK’s EU membership “very much impeded” trade between the countries previously. pic.twitter.com/bKDrbKmlyO

— Channel 4 News (@Channel4News) July 27, 2019

Trump described Johnson, a critic-turned-ally of the president, as a “good guy” and “good friend of mine.”

{mosads}“I predict he will be a great prime minister. He has what it takes,” he added. 

Johnson rose to international renown for his staunch support of Brexit and vowed earlier this week to complete the U.K.’s separation from the European Union (EU) by the end of October after Parliament dismissed his predecessor’s plan for the break.

The president said the trade relationship between Washington and London was impeded by Great Britain’s ties to the EU and that any new trade agreement will help enhance commerce between the two nations.

“You know we can do with the U.K., we can do three to four times. We were actually impeded by their relationship with the European Union. We were very much impeded on trade. And I think we can do three to four, five times what we’re doing,” Trump said.

Trump made the comments to reporters shortly after getting off the phone with Johnson to congratulate him. Downing Street confirmed to Sky News that Trump and Johnson had spoken Friday evening and that they intend to meet at a Group of Seven summit in Biarritz, France, next month.

Trump has long lambasted the U.S.’s trade relationship with the EU, slapping tariffs on its steel and aluminum exports last year. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative proposed earlier this month an additional round of tariffs impacting $4 billion of EU goods in response to the body’s aircraft subsidies.