The warning came from the lectern in the White House briefing room, where spokeswoman Karin Jean-Pierre was asked about new British Prime Minister Truss’ first phone call with Joe Biden and whether a US-UK trade deal was discussed. Northern Ireland was not mentioned in the question, but Jean-Pierre mentioned it anyway. “There is no formal link for the trade talks between the US and the UK and the Northern Ireland Protocol, as we have said, but efforts to undo the Northern Ireland Protocol will not create an enabling environment, and essentially this is where we are in the dialogue. said Jean-Pierre. “Not in favor of a trade deal” is the government’s stand on British threats, led by Truss, to pass legislation scrapping part of the Northern Ireland protocol. The protocol is the UK’s agreement with the EU on how to balance Brexit with an open border between the two Irelands established by the Good Friday Peace Agreement of 1998. The US helped broker this agreement and there is strong bipartisan opposition to any move that might endanger it. The Truce’s firm support for Ukraine’s defense is welcomed in Washington, but its position on the protocol is seen as the biggest irritant in bilateral relations. The White House was surprised by Truss’ announcement in May, when he was secretary of state, that the administration would move forward with legislation that would rewrite parts of the protocol in a way widely seen as a violation of international law. Boris Johnson had assured the Biden team that no decision had been made. The legislation is going through parliament and the US has warned the government not to put it to a vote or risk a rift with both the US and the EU. The tension was evident in the stark differences between the official accounts of the Truss-Maiden phone conversation. Downing Street said they “agreed on the importance of protecting the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement.” The White House statement said they “discussed their shared commitment to protecting the gains of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and the importance of reaching a negotiated agreement with the European Union on the Northern Ireland Protocol.” Addressing parliament on Wednesday, Mr Truss said: “My preference is for a negotiated solution, but it has to deliver on all the things that we set out in the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill and what we cannot allow is that situation to diverge ». US officials have welcomed her stated preference for talks, and the message from the White House on Wednesday was intended to dissuade her from abandoning them, warning that the relationship could be in jeopardy. Asked if Biden and Truss would meet at the UN general assembly later this month, Jean-Pierre said: “We don’t have a meeting or anything like that to read right now.”
