U.S. President Donald Trump has hailed the signing of a mutual recognition agreement (MRA) on trade with the United Kingdom, saying the move would see trade between the two nations “substantially increased” after Brexit.

The words of praise came in a key speech on the White House lawn in which the President also declared a state of emergency on the southern border. After discussing trade with, and the lack of respect shown by China, Trump moved onto the altogether more positive relationship his nation has with the United Kingdom.

Referencing the news of the MRA which broke earlier in the day, President Trump said: “The UK and the U.S., as you have probably seen, we are going ahead to preserve our trade agreement. You know all of the situation with respect top Brexit, the complexity and problems, but we have a very good trading relationship with the UK and that’s just been strengthened further.

“So with the UK we’re continuing our trade, and we are going to actually be increasing it very substantially as time goes by. We expect that the UK will be very, very substantially increased as it relates to trade with the United States. The relationship there is very good.”

BREAKING: President Trump making major border announcement in the Rose Garden… Posted by Breitbart on Friday, 15 February 2019

President Trump’s comments follow others by U.S. Ambassador to the UK ‘Woody’ Johnson, and by British Secretary of State for International Trade Dr Liam Fox.

Hailing the development Dr Fox said Friday morning: “The UK and the U.S. are the strongest of trading partners and this agreement will allow British and American businesses to keep trading as freely as they do today, without additional bureaucracy.

“Our top priority is ensuring continuity for businesses as we leave the European Union and we are signing other agreements in the days and weeks ahead. We look forward to sitting down at the negotiating table with the Americans after we leave the European Union to strike an ambitious new free trade agreement.”

Britain and America Sign Deal on Post-Brexit Trade, Plan Huge Free Trade Agreement https://t.co/0wTba17yvu — Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) February 15, 2019

Underlining the strong bond between the two nations a day earlier on St Valentine’s day, and illustrating the next step the two nations could be expected to take once the UK actually leaves the European Union, Ambassador Johnson posted a short poem along familiar lines, reading:

Roses are Red

But they soon fade away

For romance that lasts

Sign a new FTA!

The United Kingdom is presently in the process of negotiating its withdrawal from the European Union, and economic bloc which in past decades has also taken on aspects of a political union, one of the factors which pushed British voters towards supporting a departure in the 2016 membership referendum.

While leaving the Union fully and gaining the ability to negotiate and sign new trade deals all over the world has been touted as a key advantage to Brexit, present developments mean this windfall is unlikely to be realised.

Rather than making a clear break with the European Union, the British government led by Theresa May is instead seeking a negotiated settlement where the UK remains tied to European laws and institutions in several key areas — including trade. This, critics claim, would prevent Britain from signing new trade deals with nations like the United States in future.

Oliver JJ Lane is the editor of Breitbart London — Follow him on Twitter and Facebook