The Peter Zeihan Podcast Series U.S. Trade Talks with the UK || Peter Zeihan
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Jan 30, 2026 A look at stalled trade talks and why most negotiations boiled down to tariff announcements. Discussion of why the UK urgently seeks a formal trade link with the U.S. Examination of U.S. regulatory leverage and likely demands on aerospace, agriculture, emissions, and finance. Exploration of Britain's difficult choice between aligning with Washington or remaining tied to Brussels.
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Tariff Announcements Aren't Trade Talks
- The recent U.S. announcements were mainly about tariff levels, not full trade negotiations.
- Peter Zeihan emphasizes no real, staffed trade talks have occurred since the Trade Representative's office was unfilled.
Why The U.K. Seeks A U.S. Trade Deal
- The U.K. is the lone exception where meaningful talks have progressed given its post-Brexit need for markets.
- Zeihan explains the U.K.'s aging demographics make a formalized U.S. trade relationship strategically important.
Regulation As Market Capture
- The U.S. pushes regulatory alignment to achieve market capture and lock partners into its system.
- Aligning regulations makes it harder for those partners to strike deals with competing blocs.