Trump says Brexit deal may benefit EU more, block British-U.S. trade

Source: Xinhua| 2018-11-27 07:50:59|Editor: Shi Yinglun
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WASHINGTON, Nov. 26 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump said here on Monday that he did not like the Brexit deal between Britain and the European Union (EU), noting it seems to favor the EU more and might block the trade between Britain and the United States.

Speaking to the media before leaving the White House, Trump said that the deal that specifies the manner of Britain's leaving the EU "sounds like a great deal for the EU."

"I think we have to take a look at, seriously, whether or not the UK is allowed to trade," he said. "Because, you know, right now, if you look at the deal, they may not be able to trade with us, and that wouldn' t be a good thing."

"I don' t think they meant that. I don't think that the Prime Minister meant that," he added, noting he hopes Theresa May would "be able to do something about that."

"But, right now, as the deal stands, she may not -- they may not be able to trade with the U.S.," Trump noted. "And I don't think they want that at all. That would be a very big negative for the deal."

The European leaders on Sunday endorsed the Brexit deal at the EU summit in a major breakthrough since the lengthy Britain-EU Brexit negotiation started one and half years ago.

The political document covered Britain's 39-billion-pound "divorce bill", citizens' rights and the Northern Ireland "backstop" - a way to keep the Irish border open, if trade talks stall.

Britain was scheduled to leave the economic and political union on March 29, 2019. May confirmed on Monday that the British parliament's vote on Brexit deal is expected to be held on Dec. 11.

However, main opposition leader, Labour's Jeremy Corbyn, said that May's deal was a "botched" job, and that the negotiations between Britain and the EU had failed.

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