Trade Files Reclassified Amid Trump Tariff War

UK officials are tightening security when handling sensitive trade documents to prevent them falling into US hands amid Donald Trump's tariff war, the Guardian can reveal.

- Anna Isaac

In an indication of the strains on the "special relationship", British civil servants have changed document-handling guidance, adding higher classifications to some trade negotiation documents in order to better shield them from American eyes, sources have said.

The White House has upended global financial markets and torn up key relationships with unpredictable and rapidly changing taxes on trading partners including China, the EU and the UK.

UK government officials were told that the change in protocols was specifically related to tensions over important issues on trade and foreign policy between Washington and London, sources said.

Keir Starmer has prioritised striking a trade deal with Washington, opting not to retaliate over Trump's decision to impose 10% tariffs on goods exported to the US, and 25% tariffs on UK car and steel exports but instead offer concessions on areas including digital taxes and agriculture.

The US vice-president, JD Vance, said on Tuesday he believed a mutually beneficial US-UK trade deal was within reach. He said officials were "certainly working very hard with Keir Starmer's government" on a trade deal, adding that it was an "important relationship".

"There's a real cultural affinity," Vance said. "And, of course, fundamentally, America is an anglo country. I think there's a good chance that, yes, we'll come to a great agreement that's in the best interest of both countries." However, behind the scenes concern is growing over the vulnerability of UK industries and companies to Trump's "America first" agenda.