# The fruit of flattery is tariffs, but Trump-wrangler Starmer takes it on the chin

Well, that went well, didn’t it? Weeks of finding ever more ingenious ways to flatter the US president. Extolling the brilliance of  being able to tie his own shoelaces. “That’s incredible, Mr President. No one has ever managed to do that so beautifully.” No chance for flattery has been passed up. It is now the sign of the highest IQ not to be able to speak in joined-up sentences. To change your mind at a moment’s notice. Yet at all times, Keir Starmer has remained a paragon of obsequiousness. Not a word out of place.

And what do we get for it? The occasional hint of recognition from the Donald. Which we cling to. Attempting to find meaning in something essentially meaningless. Something that came with little thought. And now we also are landed with 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium. A reward for obeisance. That’s the thing with Trump. He gets angry if he’s disrespected but has nothing but contempt for those who humour him. He’s a complicated proposition.

We are where we are. The special relationship is being redefined. We are now locked in a trade war with our closest ally. Even rightwing economists are struggling to make sense of this. Our response? To keep our head down. To sound tough by saying  when our Pavlovian response is to do nothing. To take it on the chin. Hope it will go away of its own accord as casually as it was introduced. Which indeed it might. Trump is nothing if not inconsistent.

But it’s come to something when doing nothing and continuing to pander to the president’s ego is seen as an act of diplomatic genius. For it is looking more and more as if Starmer has played a blinder on the international stage as he navigates his way through the Washington swamp.

We are where we are. The special relationship is being redefined. We are now locked in a trade war with our closest ally. Even rightwing economists are struggling to make sense of this. Our response? To keep our head down. To sound tough by saying  when our Pavlovian response is to do nothing. To take it on the chin. Hope it will go away of its own accord as casually as it was introduced. Which indeed it might. Trump is nothing if not inconsistent.

## Article Content

We are where we are. The special relationship is being redefined. We are now locked in a trade war with our closest ally. Even rightwing economists are struggling to make sense of this. Our response? To keep our head down. To sound tough by saying  when our Pavlovian response is to do nothing. To take it on the chin. Hope it will go away of its own accord as casually as it was introduced. Which indeed it might. Trump is nothing if not inconsistent.

### Key Points

- The special relationship is being redefined.
- We are now locked in a trade war with our closest ally.
- The special relationship is being redefined.
- We are now locked in a trade war with our closest ally.
- The special relationship is being redefined.
- We are now locked in a trade war with our closest ally.
- The special relationship is being redefined.
- We are now locked in a trade war with our closest ally.
- The special relationship is being redefined.
- We are now locked in a trade war with our closest ally.
- The special relationship is being redefined.
- We are now locked in a trade war with our closest ally.
- The special relationship is being redefined.
- We are now locked in a trade war with our closest ally.
- The special relationship is being redefined.
- We are now locked in a trade war with our closest ally.
- The special relationship is being redefined.
- We are now locked in a trade war with our closest ally.
- The special relationship is being redefined.
- We are now locked in a trade war with our closest ally.
- The special relationship is being redefined.
- We are now locked in a trade war with our closest ally.
- The special relationship is being redefined.
- We are now locked in a trade war with our closest ally.

### Editorial Note

We are where we are. The special relationship is being redefined. We are now locked in a trade war with our closest ally. Even rightwing economists are struggling to make sense of this. Our response? To keep our head down. To sound tough by saying  when our Pavlovian response is to do nothing. To take it on the chin. Hope it will go away of its own accord as casually as it was introduced. Which indeed it might. Trump is nothing if not inconsistent.

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