Former US Diplomat Warns John Bolton Is "Oversimplifying" The Ease Of A US-UK Trade Deal

13 August 2019, 20:23

A former US diplomat has warned that John Bolton, Donald Trump's National Security Advisor, was "oversimplifying" how easy a US-UK trade deal would be in a post-Brexit world.

Iain Dale asked if it was right that the US National Security Advisor was speaking about trade, following comments made by John Bolton who said the UK could be at the front of the queue for an agreement.

Lewis Lukens, a former US Deputy Ambassador to the UK, said that trade was part of the National Security Advisor's remit, he said it was "fair" that Mr Bolton came here to discuss trade.

A former US Diplomat was speaking to Iain Dale. Picture: LBC

But, he warned that The National Security Advisor was "oversimplifying" the "ease" with which a trade agreement could be reached.

The former diplomat pointed out that the US Congress would have to approve any trade agreement, and that it would be a "long, and complicated, and difficult process."

He said he would be "wary of politicians oversimplifying the process" because it is a "complicated and long process to come to a trade agreement."

When he was asked how long it might take, Mr Lukens said it was "too complicated" and that he "didn't see this happening in 15 months," warning that in the United States there were "too many interests at stake."

The former ambassador said there was "no point in talking about the details of an agreement" until "Brexit is defined," and the UK's relationship with the EU is clear.

Watch the whole interesting exchange in the video at the top of the page.