Britain’s historic trade deal with America was confirmed in a chaotic phone call between Donald Trump and Keir Starmer after tech issues meant a planned zoom call was not able to go ahead.
Audio was muffled as it became difficult to decipher what the US President was saying while the cameras were on Starmer.
Number 10 officials added to the chaos by sending all lobby journalists hoping to question the PM about the US trade deal to the wrong location.
Reporters faced either a 35-minute drive or 90-minute journey via public transport to get from one side of West Midlands to the other.
Hacks were told to head to Coventry, only to find out the prime minister was announcing the historic trade deal from the Jaguar Land Rover factory in Solihull.
Keir Starmer listened to Donald Trump's trade announcement via phone call in the West Midlands
Reuters
Announcing the "historic step" for the special relationship between the UK and US, Trump claimed that the deal benefits one of America's "closest and most cherished allies".
As the Labour leader listened in on a grainy phone call, Trump said both of them are "so happy" with the deal.
Trump told Starmer via a phone call: "I want to thank Prime Minister Starmer and his very talented team for their outstanding work in partnership. Today's agreement with the UK is the first in a series of agreements on trade that my administration has been negotiating over the past four weeks.
"With this deal, the UK joins the United States in affirming that reciprocity and fairness is an essential and vital principle of international trade."
Highlighting the benefits for British and US agriculture, Trump explained: "The deal includes billions of dollars of increased market access for American exports, especially in agriculture, dramatically increasing access for American beef, ethanol, and virtually all of the products produced by our great farmers.
"In addition, the UK will reduce or eliminate numerous non-tariff barriers that unfairly discriminated against American products."
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS:
Keir Starmer was forced to announce the UK's 'historic' trade deal with the US via botched phone call
Reuters
Thanking the Trump administration for their "professional" work in securing the UK-US deal, the Prime Minister hailed the "pace" of which the agreement was settled.
Starmer told Trump down the line: "It's a really important deal, this is going to boost trade, between and across our countries.
"It's going to not only protect jobs but create jobs, opening market access and the timing couldn't be more apt."
Cutting to the White House, Donald Trump stated that the deal is "very conclusive", and doesn't include "any red tape" when it comes to trade.
Trump claimed that the deal is 'great for both countries'
GB News
Trump said: "I think it will really be a great deal for both countries, because it will be really great for the UK, they're opening up the country. Their country is a little closed, and we appreciate that.
"They'll also be fast tracking American goods through their customs process, so our exports go to a very, very quick form of approval. And there won't be any red tape. Things are going to move very quickly both ways."
He added: "The final details are being written up in the coming weeks. We'll have it all very conclusive, but the actual deal is a very conclusive one. We think just about everything has been approved, so good for both countries. In a historic step, the deal includes plans that will bring the United Kingdom into the economic security alignment with the United States.
"That's the first of its kind, so we have a big economic security blanket, and that's very important. And we feel very, very comfortable with that because it's been a great ally, truly one of our great allies. I mean, a lot of people say our greatest ally, I don't want to insult people by saying that, but I can say it's certainly one of our greatest."
