“A tariff war isn’t in anybody’s interests,” he said. “What I want to do is to avoid a tariff war, because it will be businesses, workers and families across the country that will be hit by a trade war.”
Britain has “not got to that stage,” he said on the question of U.K. retaliation. “My focus, therefore, is making sure we don’t get to that stage, and that’s what I’m doing at the moment,” he added.
Despite highlighting the principle “that cannot be set aside” of Greenland and Denmark determining its own sovereignty, Starmer called for “calm discussion” and differences with America to be addressed “directly, respectfully and with a focus on results.”
The center-left PM has maintained good relations with the U.S. president since Trump reentered the White House, and stressed the importance of strong transatlantic connections: “We’re determined to keep that relationship strong, constructive and focused on results,” he said.
The prime minister’s approach marks a contrast from French President Emmanuel Macron, who’s called for the EU to use tough trade measures against the White House over the weekend.
One senior British official said it was “right and proper” that the PM and his European allies made unequivocal statements in response to Trump’s “audacious” Truth Social post announcing the tariffs over the weekend.