Hunt says Trump ‘enthusiastic’ about agreeing free trade deal with UK

US president Donald Trump is “enthusiastic” about agreeing a free trade deal with the UK, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt believes.

Mr Hunt has been in talks with vice-president Mike Pence and others in the US administration in Washington for two days.

The Foreign Secretary said talks included ensuring the UK-US alliance grows even stronger after Brexit. He said: “Our discussions showed real enthusiasm from the US administration, from the President down, for a UK/US free trade agreement to be reached as soon as possible after we leave the EU, something that will benefit businesses on both sides of the Atlantic.”

Discussions about foreign policy priorities, including Russia, were also held with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, chief of staff to the president General John Kelly and adviser to the president Jared Kushner.

Mr Hunt also met a number of US diplomats expelled from Russia in retaliation for 60 Russian diplomats expelled from Washington as part of the co-ordinated response to the Salisbury attacks. He said: “The UK and US, and our joint defence of our shared values, will always be crucial to maintaining the international rules-based system.”