Birmingham business owner nervous about trade with Trump

Donald Trump will be inaugurated as President of the United States

Author: Amelia Salmons, Zeke Miller, Chris Megerian and Michelle PricePublished 20th Jan 2025

A Birmingham business owner, that works with traders in the United States, said they are worried about Donald Trump's policies on trade.

Later today (20th Jan), Trump will be officially inaugurated as President of the United States.

How will Trump's presidency impact us in England?

Whilst Donald Trump has not officially made his policies clear, Birmingham business owner Elisabeth Lewis-Jones said they have to pre-empt what Trump will do:

"There has been a lot of concern since the summer. As Trump has been president before, people are wondering if he will introduce similar policies again.

"We are expecting him to put tariffs on goods coming from the EU into America," she said.

Elisabeth Lewis-Jones

She explained what higher tariffs would mean for us, back here in England:

"If that happens, it will make companies completely relook at where they are trading. So we are looking at the next few months with some nervousness," she said.

However, Elisabeth did suggest that we may be looked on favourably by the President:

"It is different this time, because the UK sits outside the EU. We know Trump was favourable towards Brexit too," she said.

What do we already know about Trump's plans as President?

An incoming White House official said Mr Trump is going to issue a series of orders aimed at remaking America's immigration policies on his first day in office - ending asylum access, sending troops to the southern border and ending American birthright citizenship.

It is unclear how he would carry out some of his executive orders, including ending automatic citizenship for everyone born in the US, while others were expected to be immediately challenged in the courts.

Immigrant communities are bracing for the crackdown that Mr Trump had been promising throughout his campaign, including during a rally on Sunday just prior to his inauguration.

Mr Trump promises that his second term will bring about "a brand new day of American strength and prosperity, dignity and pride".

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