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Let the Trans-Atlantic Trading Begin

February 7, 2020
Columns

The Wall Street Journal

By Mike Gallagher

February 6, 2020

With Brexit done, the U.K. and U.S. have an opportunity to create a model bilateral trade agreement, and with it revitalize their special relationship. Both President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Boris Johnson have expressed interest in such a deal. The president tweeted in December that Mr. Johnson's election created the possibility of a "massive new trade deal," and the prime minister's office released a statement days later saying the two leaders hoped to strike an "ambitious free trade agreement."

Unfortunately, this early optimism has been tempered by the U.K.'s recent decision, currently pending approval in Parliament, to allow Huawei into its future 5G network. The decision comes despite lobbying from its Five Eyes intelligence allies, including the U.S. and Australia, which argued that threats from Huawei and its links to the Chinese Communist Party can't be mitigated. The fallout from the U.K. decision threatens to erode the special relationship and has even called into question whether the U.S. and Australia can safely share intelligence with Britain going forward.

Read the full op-ed here.

Issues:Foreign Policy and National SecurityEconomy