The British Prime Minister's Moderate Diplomacy: Responding to the Trump Era with Compliance and Pragmatism
2025-09-18 15:44:46
In the final weeks before the 2024 election, Trump took time out from his campaign to have dinner with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who was visiting New York to attend the United Nations General Assembly, laying the foundation for their "extraordinary" political relationship.
That dinner set the tone for an unusual political relationship between the flamboyant Trump and the soft-spoken Starmer, a former lawyer. According to a senior British official, Trump dimmed the lights to allow Starmer to admire the dazzling Manhattan skyline, and during the two-hour dinner, he expressed his deep affection for England and Scotland. Starmer's absence from the visit with Trump's opponent, then-Vice President Kamala Harris, may have also impressed Trump.
Since then, Starmer has deftly exploited Trump's favorable impression of Britain. In the process, the bookish British prime minister has mastered the art of dealing with the mercurial American president, a strategy that other European leaders have since adopted: remain polite, withhold public dissent, generally comply with Trump's demands , and perhaps gain something in return.
So far, this approach has paid off. The UK and the US reached an early trade agreement and successfully persuaded Trump not to abandon his support for Ukraine. Ahead of Trump's state visit to the UK, several US tech companies, including Microsoft and Nvidia, announced investments exceeding $42 billion in the UK as part of a technological partnership. At a time when Starmer's poll numbers have plummeted due to stagnant economic growth and rising illegal immigration issues, this transatlantic relationship has been an unexpected bright spot.
"Starmer has been quite astute in assessing where he has some influence and where he has to accept a Trumpian worldview," said Sophia Gaston, a foreign policy expert at King's College London.
Officials say the relationship between the two countries is built on Trump's genuine affection for the British Labour leader. A lavish state banquet at Windsor Castle on Wednesday (September 17) further solidified that relationship. The two are scheduled to meet on Thursday to discuss trade and other issues. Before leaving Washington, Trump hinted at some trade concessions he was willing to make to the UK .
Officials say Trump frequently calls Starmer, sometimes unexpectedly late at night. Starmer drops his work to listen to Trump. According to a senior administration official, Trump believes Starmer stands his ground without criticizing his views. Starmer, a former prosecutor known for his procedural approach, considers winning Trump's support an essential part of his job.
That success is partly due to the personalities of the two leaders. “Starmer conveys a sense of British formality and values without being condescending or arrogant,” Gaston said. This contrasts with the more direct approach of other European leaders, such as French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron.
Of course, the UK's strategy for dealing with Trump has its drawbacks. Amidst strained government finances, the UK agreed to a significant increase in defense spending and quietly endured tariffs without retaliatory measures. The question now is what will happen if Trump continues to pressure the UK on issues such as freedom of speech or imposes conditions on continued US support for Ukraine. Some within the "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) movement have already attacked the UK over the issue of free speech. Starmer also expressed support for the recognition of Palestinian statehood, a move criticized by senior Trump administration officials.
"For Starmer, at some point, not pushing back or not bashing Trump might become such a political liability that he feels the need to do so," said Max Bergmann, director of the Europe, Russia and Eurasia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
A key British government strategy in dealing with Trump has been to act preemptively as his team begins implementing its plans to reshape U.S. trade and foreign policy, which was behind Starmer’s swift decision in February to invite Trump for a second, historic state visit to Windsor Castle, playing to the president’s well-known admiration for the British royal family.
Officials said Starmer understood Trump’s eagerness to announce a trade deal, so he moved quickly and benefited from some first-mover advantages . He secured exemptions for luxury car companies and special treatment for steel and aluminum tariffs, and the prime minister agreed to some of the Trump administration’s biggest demands, including easing rules for agricultural imports from the United States.
The UK received a 10% base tariff, lower than the 15% rate faced by the EU. It will pay higher rates on some products but has received concessions in key areas such as steel and autos. Kelly Ann Shaw, a former senior trade official in the Trump administration, said: "I expect the UK will maintain one of the most favorable trading relationships across the board with any other trading partner of the United States."
This summer, Starmer had no qualms about visiting Trump’s golf club in Scotland and listening to the American leader rave about renovations at his resort. In August, when Trump summoned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the Oval Office for an impromptu meeting, Starmer abandoned his Scottish vacation and flew to Washington for the meeting.
The senior administration official said that privately, Trump, who frequently rails against windmills, also enjoys joking with Starmer about Britain's support for wind energy. This dynamic was on display when the two leaders met in Scotland in July. Starmer sat next to Trump at Trump's golf club and listened to him complain about windmills killing birds. However, Starmer stopped short of defending Britain's wind energy projects. He said, "We believe in a diversified energy mix."
An unusual beginning: A New York dinner sets the tone
That dinner set the tone for an unusual political relationship between the flamboyant Trump and the soft-spoken Starmer, a former lawyer. According to a senior British official, Trump dimmed the lights to allow Starmer to admire the dazzling Manhattan skyline, and during the two-hour dinner, he expressed his deep affection for England and Scotland. Starmer's absence from the visit with Trump's opponent, then-Vice President Kamala Harris, may have also impressed Trump.
The core of gentle diplomacy: compliance and pragmatism
Since then, Starmer has deftly exploited Trump's favorable impression of Britain. In the process, the bookish British prime minister has mastered the art of dealing with the mercurial American president, a strategy that other European leaders have since adopted: remain polite, withhold public dissent, generally comply with Trump's demands , and perhaps gain something in return.
So far, this approach has paid off. The UK and the US reached an early trade agreement and successfully persuaded Trump not to abandon his support for Ukraine. Ahead of Trump's state visit to the UK, several US tech companies, including Microsoft and Nvidia, announced investments exceeding $42 billion in the UK as part of a technological partnership. At a time when Starmer's poll numbers have plummeted due to stagnant economic growth and rising illegal immigration issues, this transatlantic relationship has been an unexpected bright spot.
"Starmer has been quite astute in assessing where he has some influence and where he has to accept a Trumpian worldview," said Sophia Gaston, a foreign policy expert at King's College London.
The cornerstones of relationships: personal connection and mutual respect
Officials say the relationship between the two countries is built on Trump's genuine affection for the British Labour leader. A lavish state banquet at Windsor Castle on Wednesday (September 17) further solidified that relationship. The two are scheduled to meet on Thursday to discuss trade and other issues. Before leaving Washington, Trump hinted at some trade concessions he was willing to make to the UK .
Officials say Trump frequently calls Starmer, sometimes unexpectedly late at night. Starmer drops his work to listen to Trump. According to a senior administration official, Trump believes Starmer stands his ground without criticizing his views. Starmer, a former prosecutor known for his procedural approach, considers winning Trump's support an essential part of his job.
That success is partly due to the personalities of the two leaders. “Starmer conveys a sense of British formality and values without being condescending or arrogant,” Gaston said. This contrasts with the more direct approach of other European leaders, such as French Prime Minister Emmanuel Macron.
Potential risks: the cost of concessions and future challenges
Of course, the UK's strategy for dealing with Trump has its drawbacks. Amidst strained government finances, the UK agreed to a significant increase in defense spending and quietly endured tariffs without retaliatory measures. The question now is what will happen if Trump continues to pressure the UK on issues such as freedom of speech or imposes conditions on continued US support for Ukraine. Some within the "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) movement have already attacked the UK over the issue of free speech. Starmer also expressed support for the recognition of Palestinian statehood, a move criticized by senior Trump administration officials.
"For Starmer, at some point, not pushing back or not bashing Trump might become such a political liability that he feels the need to do so," said Max Bergmann, director of the Europe, Russia and Eurasia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
Preemptive strike: Britain's proactive strategy
A key British government strategy in dealing with Trump has been to act preemptively as his team begins implementing its plans to reshape U.S. trade and foreign policy, which was behind Starmer’s swift decision in February to invite Trump for a second, historic state visit to Windsor Castle, playing to the president’s well-known admiration for the British royal family.
Officials said Starmer understood Trump’s eagerness to announce a trade deal, so he moved quickly and benefited from some first-mover advantages . He secured exemptions for luxury car companies and special treatment for steel and aluminum tariffs, and the prime minister agreed to some of the Trump administration’s biggest demands, including easing rules for agricultural imports from the United States.
The UK received a 10% base tariff, lower than the 15% rate faced by the EU. It will pay higher rates on some products but has received concessions in key areas such as steel and autos. Kelly Ann Shaw, a former senior trade official in the Trump administration, said: "I expect the UK will maintain one of the most favorable trading relationships across the board with any other trading partner of the United States."
The concrete manifestation of "pragmatic" diplomacy
This summer, Starmer had no qualms about visiting Trump’s golf club in Scotland and listening to the American leader rave about renovations at his resort. In August, when Trump summoned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the Oval Office for an impromptu meeting, Starmer abandoned his Scottish vacation and flew to Washington for the meeting.
The senior administration official said that privately, Trump, who frequently rails against windmills, also enjoys joking with Starmer about Britain's support for wind energy. This dynamic was on display when the two leaders met in Scotland in July. Starmer sat next to Trump at Trump's golf club and listened to him complain about windmills killing birds. However, Starmer stopped short of defending Britain's wind energy projects. He said, "We believe in a diversified energy mix."
- Risk Warning and Disclaimer
- The market involves risk, and trading may not be suitable for all investors. This article is for reference only and does not constitute personal investment advice, nor does it take into account certain users’ specific investment objectives, financial situation, or other needs. Any investment decisions made based on this information are at your own risk.
