‘You made the EU better!’ Biden punished Brexit Britain because Democrats wanted UK to ‘advance American interests’ in Brussels
Joe Biden punished Brexit Britain because Democrats wanted the UK to “advance US interests” in the European Union, a top Republican has told GB News.
Former Congressman Charlie Dent, who voiced his concerns about Britain’s departure to cut ties with the Brussels bloc, appeared to admit American politicians were hoping the UK would keep the EU in check with Washington’s needs.
The US pushed the UK to stay in the EU in 2016, with 44th President Barack Obama warning Britain would go to the “back of the queue” if it voted to leave.
However, British voters opted to leave the EU by 52 per cent to 48 per cent.
Speaking to GB News about America’s perspective on the historic decision to leave the EU, Dent said: “We always thought it was a good thing to have the UK in the EU, they were a constructive force, they made the EU better.
“And frankly, they helped advance American interests in an institution that wasn’t always friendly to us.
“And so it was better to have them in than out. When the UK departed, there were some in the United States who were unhappy about that.
“I think Democrats, frankly, were more unhappy about it. I wish they [the UK] had stayed but they’re out and I think the Biden administration, for example, wasn’t too interested in negotiating trade agreements at all, let alone with friendly nations like the UK.
“And so I’m sure that was disappointing to many people on your side of the pond. But at the end of the day, the US and the UK shall remain strong friends and allies.
“It is a special relationship and I suspect after November 5 that will continue to be the case.”
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He added: “The Democrats were kind of unhappy about the Brexit issue [and] Trump has been an unreliable ally to friendly nations.
“We’re in a brave new world and this is why Our Republican Legacy is important because we’re talking about embracing these allies.”
Dent explained how strong foreign relations remain the “bedrock” of US national security and warned the erosion of the EU would result in Moscow picking up the pieces.
Despite Dent’s criticisms of Donald Trump, the 45th President was supportive of the UK’s decision to leave the EU.
Unlike his White House successor, Trump welcomed the UK’s decision to leave the EU and suggested he could sign a “fantastic” Anglo-American accord.
However, a set of mini-deals between the UK and US failed to materialise as plans to remove levies on Scotch whiskey fell due to a separate dispute about steel.
Trump, who described himself as “Mr Brexit” when campaigning with Nigel Farage in 2016, was joined by other leading Republicans when it came to expressing support for the UK leaving the EU.
Ex-UN Ambassador John Boulton and former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee have been leading efforts to forge closer relations across the pond post-Brexit.
However, Dent’s pro-EU Grand Old Party contingent also included 2008 Republican nominee John McCain and ex-Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson.
Democrats were less split on the issue of the UK’s relationship with Europe, with the Clintons and Bernie Sanders among those voicing support for continued membership.
A trade deal between the UK and US has been seen as the jewel in the crown for Eurosceptic campaigners since 2016.
An Anglo-American accord would likely bring financial rewards to businesses on both sides of the Atlantic, with total trade in goods and services between the UK and US exceeding £260billion in the four quarters to the end of 2022’s third quarter.
A free trade agreement between the two nations could increase trade by £15billion in the long-term and boost UK workers’ wages by £1.8billion, Whitehall analysis has revealed.
However, little progress has been made in recent years, with Joe Biden’s administration voicing concern about the UK Government’s response to the Northern Ireland Protocol.
No10 later decided to start negotiations with individual states, including Indiana and North Carolina, as ex-Prime Minister Liz Truss conceded an agreement with the US was unlikely in the “short to medium term”.
A separate agreement was signed in December 2020 which rolled over trading terms from previous US-EU agreements.
Total trade in goods and services between the UK and US hit £262.7billion in the four quarters to the end of 2022’s third quarter, accounting for 16 per cent of total British trade and making the US the UK’s third largest trading partner.