Theresa May tells Donald Trump steel tariffs are 'unjustified and deeply disappointing'
2 min read
Theresa May has told Donald Trump that his decision to impose tariffs on steel imported into America is "unjustified and deeply disappointing".
The Prime Minister spoke out in a half-hour phone call with the US President this afternoon.
He announced last week that steel and aluminium from the EU, Canada and Mexico would be subjected to tariffs of up to 25%.
That prompted retaliatory tariffs being imposed on US exports including Harley Davidson motorbikes and Levi jeans.
Number 10 insisted Mrs May and President Trump had a "constructive" phone call, although the Prime Minister made clear her annoyance at the US actions.
A Downing Street spokesperson said: "The Prime Minister raised the US decision to apply tariffs to EU steel and aluminium imports, which she said was unjustified and deeply disappointing.
"The Prime Minister said the US, UK and EU are close national security allies and we recognise the importance of the values of open and fair trade across the world. The Prime Minister also underlined the need to safeguard jobs that would potentially be affected by the decision."
The pair are set to have further talks at the G7 summit in Canada later this week.
They also discussed President Trump's upcoming summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un.
"They agreed we needed to see an agreement that brings about the complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation and the removal of the North Korean ballistic missile capability," said the spokesperson.
Mrs May and President Trump also talked about his visit to the UK next month - his first since entering the White House.
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