Trump says he will meet Starmer in ‘oil capital’ Aberdeen in surprise visit to ‘refine’ trade deal

The US president told American reporters on Tuesday that the meeting will take place "probably in Aberdeen" during his private visit to Scotland.

A trade deal struck between the UK and the US earlier this year reduced 25% tariffs on car and aerospace imports, which Trump initially imposed on Britain and the rest of the world on April 2.

He later increased the tariff on steel to 50%, but gave the UK a reprieve, keeping its rate at 25% until at least July 9, which has now been and gone.

But questions remain over whether steel imports into America will face 50% tariffs under the new ‘refined’ trade deal.

There is still a baseline tariff of 10% for most other imports.

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Mr Trump said: "We're going to be meeting with the British Prime Minister, very respectful, and we are going to have a meeting with him, probably in Aberdeen, and we're going to do a lot of different things.

"We're going to also refine the trade deal that we've made. So we'll be meeting mostly [...] at probably one of my properties, or maybe not, depending on what happens, but we'll be in Aberdeen, in Scotland, meeting with the Prime Minister."

Ahead of his visit to the UK, Mr Trump described Britain as a "great place" which is a "true ally" of the US.

Speaking about Sir Keir, he told the BBC: "I really like the Prime Minister a lot, even though he's a liberal."

He also described Aberdeen as the "oil capital" and said "they should get rid of the windmills and bring back the oil".

The president's private visit comes ahead of a state visit that will follow between September 17 and 19.

He will be hosted by the King and Queen at Windsor Castle and accompanied by his wife, Melania Trump.

It will be Mr Trump's second state visit to the UK, having previously been hosted during his first term in 2019.

Downing Street has previously said that Sir Keir's meeting with Mr Trump later this month "will not be a formal bilateral".

There are also plans for Scottish First Minister John Swinney to meet with Mr Trump during his trip.