Is there any point in trying to negotiate with Trump?'

The Independent’s chief political commentator John Rentoul fields readers’ questions on Trump’s trade war, its global impact, and the UK’s options for navigating this latest storm

- John Rentoul

Donald Trump’s declaration of “Liberation Day” – a dramatic unveiling of sweeping new tariffs on US imports – has reignited questions about America’s global role, its economic influence, and what it all means for Britain post-Brexit.

With the UK hit by a 10 per cent tariff, compared with 20 per cent for the EU, some Brexiteers were quick to claim a win. But if being slightly less penalised by a volatile US president is the best economic case for Brexit, it’s a shaky argument. There’s still no comprehensive UK-US trade deal, and experts warn that the so-called “Brexit dividend” has yet to materialise.

In a live Q&A for The Independent, I answered your questions on Trump’s trade war, the UK’s response, and whether Keir Starmer can steer a better course with the EU. We discussed soft power, chlorinated chicken, the single market, and whether China really stands to gain.

What emerges is a picture of a world in flux – and a UK still feeling its way through the fog of Brexit and global disruption.

Here’s what you asked during the “Ask Me Anything” event – and how I answered.

Q Trump calls this ‘liberation day’ – but is he actually pushing the world away from the US dollar and undermining America’s soft power?

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A That is an interesting question. I don’t think Trump is completely detached from reality, but he is certainly good at pretending that bad news is just a blip in the prelude to Making America Rich Again. I think that now he has impressed his voters with the idea that he is standing up for them against foreigners, many of the tariffs will be dropped, with Trump proclaiming huge concessions and unprecedented trade deals as cover.