Brexit Won’t Harm US-UK Security Relationships

Brexit has wreaked havoc on many aspects of life across Europe, and especially the United Kingdom. One area that remains unscathed is the close relationship between the United States and Britain when it comes to security.

Reuters said Tuesday (June 28) that the White House has weighed in on the relationship, as the spokesman for the administration, Josh Earnest, said that Britain remained an important ally for the United States, especially in NATO.

“There’s no reason that should at all be affected by the decision British voters made last week,” Earnest said, alluding to the Brexit vote.

Separately, the newswire reported that the administration is in effect walking back its threat to regard the ally to second class status as a trading partner, in a move that seemed to be under consideration in the event that the vote would – as it did – be one championing an exit from the E.U.

There is in fact a large trade deal with the E.U. in the works with the United States, and the impact of the Brexit on those talks is still under consideration and under discussion. There is some consideration of that larger trade deal going through (and it is known as the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership) while another, separate deal would be negotiated and finalized with the U.K.