Chatham House | 2 March 2021

When Joe Biden was elected as US president, many observers thought the UK would struggle to establish a close relationship with him, and that British diplomats feared being sidelined by the new administration – especially as Biden had referred to British prime minister Boris Johnson as a ‘physical and emotional clone’ of Donald Trump.

The UK’s main priority was to secure a free trade deal with the United States, but the Biden team had made it clear this would not be a priority for them. However, just over one month into the Biden administration, there has been a remarkable alignment between the UK and US.

The UK has quietly put on hold its campaign to secure a trade deal and the two countries have united around an agenda focused on shared values, a common sense of global purpose, and the willingness to use military power and targeted sanctions to deter geopolitical rivals.

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