Rachel Reeves came under fire after saying she “understands what Donald Trump wants to address” with his tariffs. Ahead of her meeting with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the chancellor pointed out the similarities in the way both the US and UK governments came into power last year. She also said that the government was working “flat out” to secure a trade deal with the US. “I think there is an understanding, at least I understand why president Trump wants to address some of the global imbalances there are in the system,” the politician told economics editor Faisal Islam on BBC Breakfast.

She continued: “Some countries running very large on persistent trade surpluses and I need to address that. Britain is not the cause of those problems. With the US we have balanced trade, neither surplus nor a deficit. That’s why I think there is a deal to be done with the US but it is important that we understand why the US are doing what they are doing. They were elected on a change mandate last year. The UK Labour government was elected on a changed mandate last year.”

Ms Reeves added: “In both of our countries, many working people felt the economy was not working for them and both of our governments, in our own way, are trying to address that.”

Her comments sparked outrage as viewers voiced their criticism online. One declared: “Simply cannot take seriously Rachel Reeves talking about ‘a deal’ with the US. What experience does she have?! She is allowing the utilities companies to raise costs exponentially (40% on water alone). Labour is not ‘for working ppl’, but backed by corporations.”

Another bluntly claimed: “She is useless.”

A third fumed: “Isn’t that what Theresa May tried to do? If so, why is it ok for Trump but not us? Why does everyone kiss up to Trump? He has shown he likes under table deals. He doesn’t respect women. His more for Putin, Russia. Then Ukraine. He has shown this.”

A fourth weighed in: “Another one on a jolly on taxpayer money.”

Trump has already imposed tariffs of 25% on all car imports to the US including from the UK. He placed sweeping import taxes of 145% on China, which retaliated with 125% tariffs on US goods.

He also imposed levies on several dozen countries, causing the stock market to stumble and interest rates to increase on US debt as investors worried about slower economic growth and higher inflation.

But the president has been warned by US supermarket giants that his trade tariffs could disrupt supply chains, raise prices and empty shelves.