Britain’s Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has pledged to “remain calm” and continue pursuing a trade agreement with the United States, following President Donald Trump’s decision to

impose a 10% import tariff on UK goods.

Trump announced on Wednesday that the UK would be among a small group of countries facing the lowest new tariff rate, while many others face steeper duties.

“The US is our closest ally, so our approach is to remain calm and committed to securing a deal, which we hope will lessen the impact of today’s announcement,” Reynolds said in a statement. He added that the UK has various options available and will stay in close contact with British businesses to assess the fallout and determine next steps.

Britain has been working toward a broader economic pact with the US, offering closer alignment on key issues like technology regulation. Officials are hopeful the tariffs can be rolled back quickly once a deal is reached.

While major economies like the EU have responded to past US tariffs with retaliatory measures, the UK has so far held back, though it maintains that all options are still on the table. “Nobody wants a trade war,” Reynolds stressed. “Our intention is to reach an agreement.”

UK business groups supported the government's measured response, cautioning that retaliation would only worsen economic uncertainty. “A cool and calm reaction is the right move,” said Rain Newton-Smith, CEO of the Confederation of British Industry. “UK firms need a proportionate response that avoids escalation.”

Meanwhile, the opposition Conservative Party blamed the Labour government for not securing a tariff exemption, and the Liberal Democrats criticized the US for starting a “destructive trade war.”

Reynolds is expected to address Parliament on Thursday to outline the government's response. Photo by Loco Steve from Bromley , UK, Wikimedia commons.