LONDON, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump’s second state visit to Britain wrapped up Thursday night in royal pomp and friendly rhetoric. But showy ceremonies could not hide the gaps in results: while a splashy technology deal and new investment pledges drew concerns, trade rows persisted, and the split over Gaza remained unresolved.
Despite hailing the "special relationship" with Britain as "irreplaceable and unbreakable" at Wednesday’s Windsor Castle banquet, Trump left without delivering tariff relief, easing trade frictions, or bridging his disagreement with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer over recognition of a Palestinian state.
TARIFF BARRIERS PERSIST
Before flying to Britain, Trump offered to help the country secure a better trade deal and fine-tune the bilateral framework. But such promises were unfulfilled, leaving the future of affected industries uncertain.
According to local media, an arrangement aimed at removing U.S. tariffs on British steel and aluminum had been indefinitely shelved. For now, Britain’s steel and aluminum exports to the United States still face 25 percent tariffs.
The Scottish government has also sought to reduce or eliminate the 10 percent tariff on Scotch whisky exports, as the whisky industry said the levy costs companies 4 million pounds (5.4 million U.S. dollars) each week.
Gareth Stace, Director General of UK Steel, said that amid shrinking demand and high costs, "the imposition of U.S. tariffs on UK steel would be a devastating blow to our industry."
Analysts said that the mounting tariffs would impose new uncertainties on future trade talks with the Trump administration despite the "special relationship," adding pressure on a Labour government shaken this month by the deputy prime minister’s resignation, a cabinet reshuffle, and the dismissal of the British ambassador to Washington over close ties to the Epstein case.
GAZA DISPUTES UNSOLVED
Speaking at a press conference with Starmer on Thursday, Trump said he disagrees with Starmer on recognizing the State of Palestine.
In late July, Downing Street said the country will recognize the State of Palestine in September to "protect the viability of the two-state solution," unless Israel takes substantive steps to end "the appalling situation in Gaza" and commit to a long-term and sustainable peace.
Starmer reaffirmed this commitment at the press conference, noting the situation in Gaza is "intolerable" and calling for aid to get into Gaza "at speed."
"The question of recognition needs to be seen," he said.
Trump, on the other hand, said, "I have a disagreement with the prime minister on that score, one of our few disagreements, actually."
Iain Begg, a professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science, told Xinhua that Britain’s stance on Palestine is clearer than Washington’s and that as the United States is unwilling to state its position publicly, it should put more pressure on Israel behind the scenes.
CONCERNING TECH DEAL
On the last day of his tour, Trump and Starmer signed a multi-billion-dollar tech deal at Chequers, the prime minister’s country residence, to boost cooperation in fast-growing sectors such as artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing and nuclear energy.
The two sides were ambitious in cooperating in advanced technology, as Trump said that the tech pact would help the United States and Britain "dominate" the global AI landscape.
According to an announcement of the British government on Tuesday, when Trump arrived in Britain, the Tech Prosperity Deal aims to accelerate AI research for new drugs, faster treatments and better cancer care, while also supporting civil nuclear projects.
As part of the deal, Microsoft will invest 30 billion dollars in Britain’s AI infrastructure, while Google will open a data center in Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire, as part of a two-year investment in the country.
However, the plan has sparked local concerns. On Wednesday, thousands rallied in central London against various U.S. policies. Hertfordshire resident Philip Threlfall warned that building such a center would be "a bad thing for everybody, just gonna eat power, eat up wetland and produce the same old rubbish multi-times over."
David Bailey, an economics professor at the University of Birmingham, told Xinhua that Britain’s ability to gain real competitiveness from such a large investment depends on closing its scale-up financing gap and fostering more homegrown tech firms. He added that it represents a "fundamental weakness," with small British companies at risk of being acquired by U.S. firms.
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