The Atlantic

London’s Falling, and a U.S. Trade Deal Won’t Save It

Britain will be the “desperate” party in a trade negotiation, and the United States knows it.
Source: Yuri Gripas / Reuters

If there is light at the end of the Brexit tunnel, Brexiteers say, it’s this: Britain, finally unshackled from the stringent restraints of the European Union, will soon be able to go out and strike its own trade deals, and realize its dream of becoming a “truly global Britain.”

Although Brexit hasn’t happened yet, global Britain’s first test has begun. This week, British Trade Secretary Liz Truss traveled to Washington, D.C., to set out Britain’s goals for a free-trade deal with the United States. “Negotiating and signing exciting new free trade agreements is my top priority,” Truss said ahead of her trip, “and none are more important than with the United States.”

Striking a trade deal—much less a “” one—isn’t easy. But when Britain leaves the EU and finds itself outside the

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