Trump dangles 'very big' trade deal in front of Brexit Britain

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Sunday said he and President Donald Trump were “gung-ho” about a post-Brexit trade deal but cautioned the United States would be tough negotiators and that he would not rush talks.

Trump promised a big trade deal for Britain after it leaves the European Union, which he said had been a drag on Britain’s ability to cut a good deal.

Facing a delicate task of assuaging European allies while not angering Trump at a G7 summit in France, Johnson said there were huge opportunities for British businesses in the U.S. market, but hinted at differences between the two sides on the scope of a deal.

Moreover, he added, Washington would have to relax some “protectionist” policies.

“They want to do it within a year, I’d love to do it within a year, but that’s a very fast timetable,” he told Sky News.

Earlier, before the two leaders began a trade-focused bilateral meeting, Trump said he was looking forward to discussing big numbers with Johnson.

“We’re going to do a very big trade deal - bigger than we’ve ever had with the UK,” Trump said. “At some point, they won’t have the obstacle of - they won’t have the anchor around their ankle, because that’s what they had.”