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LONDON – While British Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday continued her efforts to sell her withdrawal agreement from the European Union to skeptics in parliament, she was caught off guard by President Trump, who called the EU 's parliamentarian a surprise. agreement "of very good for the EU" and warned that, if it was adopted, it could hinder a free trade agreement between the United States and Britain.
Ms. May has long argued the prospects of a new trade agreement between the United States and Britain as one of the advantages of leaving the bloc. Negotiations were to begin next spring, after the exit of Britain on March 29. Brexit.
According to May's proposed exit agreement, a bilateral trade agreement could come into effect at the end of a transition period in 2020.
But Trump's comments suggest that Britain may never be able to conclude a bilateral trade deal with the United States, creating new difficulties for Ms. May. If she wants to get the agreement approved by Parliament next month, she must defeat the resistance of about 90 deputies within her own party.
And a group of unconditional pro-Brexit legislators, who started A campaign to replace Ms. May as a Conservative leader may be reinforced by US support.
Addressing reporters outside the White House, Mr Trump presented a disproportionate assessment of the deal, which was approved Sunday by the 27 member states of the European Union.
"I think we need to look seriously at whether or not the UK is allowed to negotiate, because now you know that if you look at the deal, they may not be able to trade with us, and it's would not be a good thing, he says.
"I do not think the prime minister wanted to say that and I hope she can do something about it," he said. "But for the moment, in the case, she may not be able to do it – they may not be able to negotiate with the United States, and I do not think they want it at all. would be a very big inconvenience for this agreement. "
In response to Mr. Trump's comments, a spokesman for Downing Street said that "under the proposed withdrawal agreement," it is very clear that we will have an independent commercial policy so that the United Kingdom The United Kingdom can sign trade agreements with countries around the world, including the United States. "
The spokesman added that the government "has already set the stage for an ambitious agreement with the United States through our joint working groups, which have met five times so far".
This was not the first time Mr Trump had publicly undermined the British Prime Minister. He took advantage of a visit to Britain in July to criticize the proposed approach as too incremental, with the UK economy still subject to many European regulations.
During his visit, Trump also endorsed May's main rival, the conservative Boris Johnson, who resigned as Foreign Minister to protest the withdrawal agreement
"I think he has what it takes and I think he has the right attitude to be a great prime minister," Mr Trump said.
Mr Trump has regularly made fun of the European Union as an unfair trading partner of the United States.
His comments on Monday were probably due to the weekend's headline announcing the approach of a new deal between Britain and the trading block, said Ian Bremmer, chairman of the Eurasia group. He added that Mr. Trump rarely intervenes in the details of trade agreements.
"I do not think there is a link to trade negotiations," said Bremmer. "His instinctive reaction is that the US is getting a better deal. He hates the US, the US always tries to take advantage, the UK gets caught. "
Last month, Robert Lighthizer, US Trade Representative, told the Senate that Mr. Trump "intends to start negotiations for a trade agreement with the UK" promptly "as soon as he will be ready after the release of the European Union on March 29, 2019. "
Britain is the seventh largest trading partner of the United States, with a total of $ 232 billion worth of goods and services traded between the two countries each year. The United States is Britain's largest export market, followed by seven European Union countries.
Under the proposed agreement, Britain will continue to trade with the United States in accordance with the regulations in force in the Union until the end of the transition period, scheduled for December 2020.
