President-elect to target EU over UK in trade war as he wants 'a successful Brexit'

A possible trade war with the US will not be as bad as feared, a former political appointee in the last Trump administration has said - claiming the president-elect will target the European Union more significantly than Britain as he wants to see a “successful Brexit”.

- MILLIE COOKE

Peggy Grande, who was a political appointee for Donald Trump, told The Independent he is likely to give a “preferential trade deal to the UK” and she thinks tariffs will “more greatly affect the EU than the UK”.

Her comments come amid fears of a global trade war, after the Republican politician pledged to impose levies of 10 per cent on all goods imports from US trading partners, and up to 60 per cent and 100 per cent for China and Mexico.

But Ms Grande, who also worked as Ronald Reagan’s executive assistant after he left the White House, said Mr Trump “believes in the special relationship”, adding: “I anticipate that if tariffs are involved, they will more greatly affect the EU than the UK.