UK pushes back on Trump’s trade comments

The British government on Tuesday pushed back against President Trump’s concerns about a Brexit agreement being pushed by Prime Minister Theresa May after Trump warned that the deal could endanger trade with the U.S.

In a statement to Reuters, a spokesman for May’s office cited “positive and productive” discussions with the White House on issues of trade in recent weeks, while adding that May likely would not seek a bilateral meeting with Trump at the upcoming Group of 20 summit in Argentina.

{mosads}“It’s not something we’ve requested,” the spokesman said. “We’ve met with the president on a number of occasions in recent months.”

The comments from the office of the prime minister come after Trump warned that a deal being considered by U.K. politicians to facilitate the country’s exit from the European Union would prevent the U.K. from signing a trade agreement with the U.S.

“Right now if you look at the deal, [the U.K.] may not be able to trade with us. And that wouldn’t be a good thing. I don’t think they meant that,” Trump said of May’s proposal, according to the BBC.

In addition to comments from May’s spokesman, U.K. officials responded in the form of a “press rebuttal” blog, according to Reuters, which expanded on the U.K.’s expected role in global trade outside of the EU.

“After we leave the EU in March next year, we will take up our independent seat at the [World Trade Organisation] where we will play an active role in negotiations and be strong advocates for the rules-based global trading system,” it reads, according to Reuters.

May’s Brexit plan has faced criticism in the U.K., where two top members of her Cabinet resigned over their inability to support the arrangement.

The EU, however, certified the deal on Monday, warning that critics hoping for a better arrangement would be disappointed if the deal was rejected.

“I am totally convinced this is the only deal possible. Those who think that by rejecting the deal that they would have a better deal will be disappointed the first seconds after the rejection,” EU head Jean-Claude Juncker said.