President Donald Trump began the week in Scotland, meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at his golf resort to discuss the growing humanitarian crisis in Gaza and recent trade developments. Trump also pushed back on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s claim that there is “no starvation” in Gaza and announces plans for the U.S. to establish food centers in the region.
The meeting followed Trump’s announcement of a new trade deal with the European Union, which adds a 15% tariff on most goods coming from the 27-member bloc. The deal is being touted as a step toward avoiding a transatlantic trade war, with nearly $2 trillion in goods and services exchanged between the two economies last year.
Trump praised Starmer for the recent U.S.-UK trade agreement.
“You got it done, so I want to congratulate you on that and it’s a great, it’s a great deal for both,” said Trump. “It brings unity. We didn’t need unity, but we, it, it brings us even closer together. I think it’s good for both parties.”
Meanwhile, Trump’s trade team was in Sweden for another round of talks with China, hoping to extend the current trade truce before tariffs resume on August 12. The White House also faces a self-imposed deadline of August 1 to finalize tariff rates for over 200 trade partners. This comes during a high-stakes week that includes a Federal Reserve interest rate decision, the release of second-quarter GDP data and the July jobs report — all of which could reflect the broader economic impact of the administration’s trade policies.
