Donald Trump expected to sign UK trade deal within three weeks in new White House update

Donald Trump plans to sign a trade deal with the UK in just three weeks, White House officials say. Britain is set for a rapid deal, according to reports. It comes after US vice president JD Vance said the US is "working very hard" on a trade deal with the UK thanks partly to the President's love of the royal family.

First in line for a US deal are Japan, India and South Korea according to reports, with the President keen to get agreements in Asia in order to isolate China. But a White House official told the Telegraph an agreement with the UK was expected "soon". The source said: "Two weeks. Or maybe three."

The US has currently imposed a 10% tariff on most imports from the UK, while the fee on vehicles and steel or aluminium products is 25%. Mr Trump has also said he plans a .

However the UK is in a good position to obtain a deal because it imports more from the US than it exports. Mr Trump has said one of his aims is to reduce America's trade deficit.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said the UK will in the face of US tariffs. The Government's top priority is to persuade the US to eliminate or cut tariffs on cars, after British-made vehicles worth £9 billion were sold in the US last year.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is reported to have made the UK, Australia, South Korea, India and Japan the top targets for new trade deals and has been in touch with officials from all five countries.

Mr Vance said: "The President really loves the United Kingdom. He loved the Queen. He admires and loves the King."

Speaking to website UnHerd, Mr Vance said the President's personal affection for the UK made a deal more likely.

He said: "We're certainly working very hard with Keir Starmer's government."

The Vice President continued: "It is a very important relationship. He's a businessman and has a number of important business relationships in [Britain]. But I think it's much deeper than that. There's a real cultural affinity. And of course, fundamentally, America is an Anglo country."

He told the website: "I think there's a good chance that, yes, we'll come to a great agreement that's in the best interest of both countries."

Another key point in the UK's favour was that it does not run a trade deficit with the US, he suggested.

"With the United Kingdom, we have a much more reciprocal relationship than we have with, say, Germany ... while we love the Germans, they are heavily dependent on exporting to the United States but are pretty tough on a lot of American businesses that would like to export into Germany."