Few of this morning’s papers avoid mentioning the global trade war Donald Trump kicked off on Wednesday, with many reporting a version of the banner used on the front of the Daily Mirror: “World faces economic war”. Under the headline “Trading blows” the paper reports universal 10% tariffs will be placed on all imports into the US that were announced last night, which will go into effect on 5 April.
The Guardian situates Trump’s “global trade war” domestically by highlighting that the UK has been hit with “tariffs of 10% on exports to the US”, noting that this is lower than the 20% that Downing Street had been expecting – a difference, the paper says, which likely came from Starmer’s more “conciliatory approach to the Trump administration”.
The Daily Telegraph also leads on tariffs, but lower down its front page reports what it says is a “veiled dig” at Sir Keir Starmer by the Attorney General Lord Hermer over the prime minister’s criticism of an immigration judge. The attorney general said it was “entirely unacceptable” for MPs in Parliament to attack judges on a personal basis – a reference to comments by Starmer on the floor of the Commons a few weeks ago.
“Trump’s tariff war on ‘foreign scavengers'” reads the front page of the Daily Mail, which chooses to underscore the differences in levies that “Brexit Britain” will face (10%) compared to the EU – which has instead been “hammered with a 20% levy”. Some countries were hit even harder though, with Laos getting dinged with a 48% tariff rate and Cambodia 49%.
The trade war that Trump “triggered” is a “threat to UK jobs and wages”, reports the i Paper, which pulls focus away from the US president and instead zeroes-in on how his global policies will impact every day Britons. “UK growth predicted to fall to 0% next year” it reports, but all hope is not lost. King Charles III – who is still due to host Trump for a second state visit – could act as a “soft power weapon” as British officials seek to minimise the impact of tariffs, diplomatic sources tell the i Paper.
Tributes to “maverick Hollywood bad boy and movie icon” Val Kilmer splash across many of today’s papers, but the Metro uses its full top spread to commemorate the 65-year-old Top Gun actor. His death was confirmed last night by his daughter, who said Kilmer died of pneumonia on Tuesday.
The Times spares little room for other stories on its front with Trump’s “pile of tariffs” dominating most of the page – but it manages to squeeze in an update on the fire that sent Heathrow into chaos a few weeks ago, reporting that Europe’s busiest airport had been warned by airlines about the risks of power failures, just days before it was shut down for more than 18 hours.
“TikTok talks” leads the Financial Times, where the paper reports that US’s hopes of making the Chinese owners of the popular social media platform sell to US investors have been “boosted” by a US venture capital firm. Talks on rearmament in Europe is also prominent. The FT reports that it has seen an informal paper that the UK government has circulated outlining its plans for a multilateral fund that would support weapons stockpiles and military equipment across the continent for the “coalition of the willing”.
The Grand National – one of the world’s most famous horse race – is kicking off on the front page of the Sun, which teases “12 pages of top tips and form” to inform your following of this year’s race – which gets under way on Saturday. The paper also reports on Haroon Aswat, a British man who admitted to plotting to set up an extremist training camp in the US and was jailed there until 2022, who is expected to be released from detention in the “relatively near future”. He was returned to the UK late in 2022 and has been detained at Bethlem Royal Hospital, South London, the paper reports.
Now for our look at the morning papers, and Donald Trump’s announcement on tariffs dominates the front pages.
The i Paper, Guardian, Daily Mail, and Mirror are among the papers labelling the president’s White House speech as the start of a new “global trade war”. The Mail goes on to describe it as a “bombshell” – but says the fact Britain was hit by lower tariffs than the EU “represents a key benefit of Brexit”. The Express leads with a similar angle saying “Brexit Britain” has escaped the worse of Trump’s “tariff pain”.
The Times says that after months of lobbying by Sir Keir Starmer, Britain was hit “less hard than most countries”. It notes that there could be a “small window for negotiation” because the new tariffs are not due to come into force until the weekend.
The Telegraph highlights a warning from economists that the tariffs could plunge the UK into recession with thousands of jobs at risk. It says the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, on Wednesday refused to rule out raising taxes amid mounting concern she will breach her fiscal rules.
Meanwhile the i quotes diplomatic sources who’ve expressed hope that the King could act as a “soft power weapon” in a charm offensive with President Trump, aimed at securing an easing of trade barriers for the UK.
In other news, the Sun leads with a report on Haroon Aswat, a British man who the paper describes as an “al-Qaeda mastermind”. He was jailed in the US until 2022 but was then returned to the UK and has been detained at secure hospital. The paper reports that he could soon be released.
The actor Val Kilmer is on several front pages following the news of his death. Metro describes him as a “maverick Hollywood bad boy and movie icon” whilst the Guardian hails his “terrific screen presence”.
And Scottish dinosaurs also feature in many of Thursday’s papers. Newly identified footprints on the Isle of Skye have revealed that despite being prehistoric predator and prey, huge meat-eating and plant-eating dinosaurs co-existed together on the island 167 million years ago. Researchers tell the i Paper that the prints – discovered on the island’s Trotternish Peninsula – are helping to provide new insights into the behaviours of dinosaurs from the Middle Jurassic period.
