Trump eyes 'large scale' trade deal with UK

[March 14, 2019]  WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday said he anticipated a "large scale" trade agreement with the United Kingdom, as the British government grapples with its Brexit deal with Europe and a possible delay.

U.S. President Donald Trump talks to reporters as he departs to visit storm-hit areas of Alabama from the White House in Washington, U.S., March 8, 2019. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst

Britain's break from the European Union would upend its trade relationships as it exits the bloc and is forced to go to the negotiating table to broker its own trade pacts with other countries, including the United States.

"My Administration looks forward to negotiating a large scale Trade Deal with the United Kingdom. The potential is unlimited!" Trump tweeted.

The U.S. Trade Representative's office had said it would launch talks with Britain after its planned exit from the EU on March 29. Last month it laid out its objectives for a deal that included reduced tariff and non-tariff barriers for U.S. industrial and agricultural goods.

Trump has made the U.S. economy and trade a cornerstone of his presidency in line with his "America First" campaign, and has sought to renegotiate pacts with China, Canada and Mexico as well as the EU.

With a little more than two weeks before Britain is due to leave the European Union with no firm agreement yet in place, Britain's parliament was due to vote on Thursday on seeking a last-minute Brexit delay after UK lawmakers twice rejected Prime Minister Theresa May's EU divorce deal.

(Reporting by Susan Heavey; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

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