 | |
 United Kingdom |  United States |
|---|---|
| Diplomatic mission | |
| British Embassy, Washington, D.C. | United States Embassy, London |
| Envoy | |
| Ambassador James Roscoe | Ambassador Warren Stephens |
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Since 1776, relations between theUnited Kingdom and theUnited States have ranged from military opposition to close allyship. TheThirteen Colonies seceded from theKingdom of Great Britain anddeclared independence in 1776, fighting a successfulrevolutionary war. While Britain was fightingNapoleon, the two nations fought the stalematedWar of 1812. Relations were generally positive thereafter, save fora short crisis in 1861 during theAmerican Civil War. By the 1880s, the US economy had surpassed Britain's; in the 1920s,New York City surpassedLondon as the world's leading financial center. The two nations fought Germany together during thetwo World Wars; since 1940, the two countries have been close military allies, enjoying theSpecial Relationship built as wartime allies andNATO andG7 partners. America and Britain are bound together by a shared history, a common language, an overlap in religious beliefs and legal principles, and kinship ties that reach back hundreds of years.
In the early 21st century, Britain affirmed its relationship with the United States as its "most important bilateral partnership" in currentBritish foreign policy,[1] and theAmerican foreign policy affirms its relationship with Britain as its second most important relationship, behind only Canada.[2][3] as evidenced in aligned political affairs, cooperation in the areas of trade, commerce, finance, technology, academics, as well as the arts and sciences; the sharing of government and military intelligence, and joint combat operations andpeacekeeping missions carried out between theUnited States Armed Forces and theBritish Armed Forces. As of January 2015, the United Kingdom was the fifth largest US trading partner in terms of exports and seventh in terms of imports of goods.[4] In long-term perspective, the historianPaul Johnson has called the United Kingdom–United States relations "the cornerstone of the modern,liberal democratic world order".[5] The two countries have also had a significant impact on the cultures of many other countries, as well as each other. They are the two main nodes of theAnglosphere, with a combined population of just under 400 million in 2019. Together, they have given the English language a dominantlingua franca role in many aspects of the modern world.
TheSpecial Relationship characterises the exceptionally close political, diplomatic, cultural, economic, military, and historical relations between the two countries. It has been specially used for relations since 1940.[6] Ahead of a visit to theWhite House in 2023,Rishi Sunak stressed the need to forge "close and candid" relations withJoe Biden after years of turbulent US-UK relations.[7]
 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland |  United States of America | |
|---|---|---|
| Coat of Arms | .svg) Used in relation to Scotland (right) and elsewhere (left) | .svg) |
| Flag |  |  |
| Population | 69,281,437 | 341,182,000 |
| Area | 244,376 km2 (94,354 mi2) | 9,820,630 km2 (3,791,770 mi2) |
| Population Density | 285/km2 (740/sq mi) | 96.3/km2 (249/sq mi) |
| Capital | London | Washington, D.C. |
| Largest City | London – 9,089,736 (15,100,000 Metro) | New York City – 8,600,710 (19,006,798 Metro) |
| Government | Unitaryparliamentary constitutional monarchy | Federalpresidential constitutional republic |
| First Leader | George III William Pitt the Younger | George Washington |
| Current Leaders | Charles III Keir Starmer | Donald Trump |
| Official languages | English | English |
| GDP (nominal) | US$4.448 trillion ($63,661per capita) | US$30.49 trillion ($89,599 per capita) |
After several failed attempts, the first permanent English settlement in mainland North America was established in 1607 atJamestown in theVirginia. In 1630, thePuritans established theMassachusetts Bay Colony; they emphasised not only pure religiosity, but also education and entrepreneurship.[8]
Smaller colonies followed throughout the 17th and early 18th centuries. Each colony reported separately to London. During British colonization, liberal administrative, juridical, and market institutions were introduced.[9] The colonial period also saw the introduction ofindentured servitude andslavery.[9] All of theThirteen Colonies were involved in theslave trade.[9]
Over time, the Thirteen Colonies gradually obtained more self-government.[10] Britishmercantilist policies became more stringent, benefiting the mother country, which resulted in trade restrictions. Tensions escalated from 1765 to 1775 over issues of taxation without any American representation in Parliament. Congress unanimouslydeclared independence in July 1776, formally initiating theRevolutionary War. The British managed to control New York City and parts of the South, but 90 percent of the American population was controlled by the Patriots. The entry of the French and Spanish decisively hurt British efforts. TheTreaty of Paris ended the war in 1783,[11] and the United States of America became the first colony in the world to successfully achieve independence in the modern era.[12]
The two nations fought again in theWar of 1812. Neither side prevailed. The end of the war marked the end of a long period of conflict (1775–1815) and ushered in a new era of peace between the two nations. It was celebrated in the US as a victorious "second war of independence", while the British, having finally defeated Napoleon at theBattle of Waterloo, celebrated that triumph and largely forgot their second war with the US.[13]
Relations verged on open conflict during the war, and remained chilly after it as Americans resented British and Canadian roles in theirCivil War. Both sides worked to make sure tensions did not escalate toward war.[14] The arbitration of the Alabama Claims in 1872 provided a satisfactory reconciliation; The British paid the United States $15.5 million for the economic damage caused byConfederate Navy warships purchased from it.[15] The British also withdrew from their military and political responsibilities in North America, bringing home their troops from Canada (keepingHalifax as an Atlantic naval base), and turning responsibility over to the locals; in 1867, the separate Canadian colonies unified into a self-governing confederation named the "Dominion of Canada".[16]
The Great Rapprochement saw the convergence of social and political objectives between London and Washington from 1895 until World War I began in 1914.[17] DuringWorld War I, the Americans planned to send money, food and munitions, but it soon became clear that millions of soldiers would be needed to decide the war on theWestern Front.[18] Two million soldiers were sent to Europe, with more on the way as the war ended.[19]
Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the level of mutual hostility was moderately high. The British diplomatic establishment largely distrusted the United States for a series of reasons. They included British suspicion of America's newfound global power, intentions, and reliability. Despite the frictions, London realized the United States was now the strongest power, and made it a cardinal principle of British foreign policy to "cultivate the closest relations with the United States".[20]
Although many of the American people were sympathetic to Britain during itsWorld War II conflict withNazi Germany, there was widespread opposition to American intervention in European affairs. But beginning in March 1941, the United States enactedLend-Lease in the form of tanks, fighter airplanes, munitions, bullets, food, and medical supplies. Britain received $31.4 billion out of a total of $50.1 billion sent to the Allies. Lend-lease aid was freely given, with no payments. There were also cash loans that were repaid at low rates over half a century.[21][22] In August 1941, Churchill and Roosevelt announced theAtlantic Charter at a meeting in Newfoundland. It became a fundamental document—All the Allies had to sign it—and it led to the formation of theUnited Nations. Shortly after thePearl Harbor attack, Churchill spent several weeks in Washington with the senior staff hammering out wartime strategy with the American counterparts at theArcadia Conference. They set up theCombined Chiefs of Staff to plot and coordinate strategy and operations. Military cooperation was close and successful.[23] Technical collaboration was even closer, as the two nations shared secrets and weapons.[24][25][26] Millions of American servicemen were based in Britain during the war. Americans were paid five times more than comparable British servicemen, which led to a certain amount of friction with British men.[27]
In the aftermath of the war, Britain faced a deep financial crisis, whereas the United States enjoyed an economic boom. The United States continued to finance the British treasury after the war. Much of this aid was designed to restore infrastructure and help refugees. Britain received anemergency loan of $3.75 billion in 1946; it was a 50-year loan with a low 2% interest rate.[28] A more permanent solution was theMarshall Plan of 1948–51, which poured $13 billion into western Europe, of which $3.3 billion went to Britain to help modernise its infrastructure and business practices. The aid was a gift and carried requirements that Britain balance its budget, control tariffs, and maintain adequate currency reserves.[29] InBritish Malaya, the British colonialists got American aid in thewar against the communist independence movement (1948-1960).[30] The need to form a united front against the Soviet threat compelled the US and Britain to cooperate in helping to form theNorth Atlantic Treaty Organization with their European allies. NATO is a mutual defence alliance whereby an attack on one member country is deemed an attack on all members.
TheSuez Crisis erupted in October 1956 after Britain, France, and Israel invaded Egypt to regain control of the Suez Canal. Eisenhower had repeatedly warned London against any such action and feared a collapse of Western influence and the risk of a wider war in the region. Washington responded with heavy financial and diplomatic pressure to force the invaders to withdraw. When it became clear that the international sanctions were serious, the invaders withdrew in consideration of the very sizeable British post-war debt. The world noted Britain's fall from status in the Middle East and worldwide, and Anglo-American cooperation fell to the lowest point since the 1890s.[31][32][33] However, the new prime ministerHarold Macmillan (1957–1963) restored good terms with Eisenhower and PresidentJohn F. Kennedy (1961–1963).[34]
Throughout the 1980s, Thatcher was strongly supportive of Reagan's unwavering stance towards the Soviet Union. Often described as "political soulmates" and a high point in the "Special Relationship", Reagan and Thatcher met many times throughout their political careers.
When the United States became the world's lone superpower after thedissolution of the Soviet Union, new threats emerged that confronted the United States and itsNATO allies. With military build-up beginning in August 1990 and the use of force beginning in January 1991, the United States, followed at a distance by Britain, provided the two largest forces respectively for the coalition army which liberatedKuwait fromSaddam Hussein's regime during thePersian Gulf War.
In the1997 general election, theBritish Labour Party was elected to office for the first time in eighteen years. The new prime minister,Tony Blair, andBill Clinton both used the expression "Third Way" to describe their centre-left ideologies. In August 1997, the American people expressed solidarity with the British people, sharing in their grief and sense of shock on thedeath of Diana, Princess of Wales, who perished in a car crash in Paris. Throughout 1998 and 1999, the United States and Britain sent troops to impose peace during theKosovo War. Tony Blair made it a point to develop very close relationships with the White House.[35]
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Sixty-seven Britons were among the2,977 victims killed during the terrorist attacks on theWorld Trade Center and elsewhere onSeptember 11, 2001.Al-Qaeda was the attacker. Following the attacks, there was an enormous outpouring of sympathy from the United Kingdom for the American people, and Blair was one of Bush's strongest international supporters for military action againstAl-Qaeda and the Taliban. Indeed, Blair became the most articulate spokesman. President Bush told Congress that "America has no truer friend than Great Britain".[36]
The United States declared awar on terror following the attacks. British forces participated in NATO'swar in Afghanistan. Blair took the lead (against the opposition of France, Canada, Germany, China, and Russia) in advocating theinvasion of Iraq in 2003. Again, Britain was second only to the US in sending forces to Iraq. Both sides wound down after 2009 and withdrew their last troops in 2011. President Bush and Prime Minister Blair provided sustained mutual political and diplomatic support and won votes in Congress and parliament against their critics at home.[37] During this period, Secretary of DefenseDonald Rumsfeld said that "America has no finer ally than the United Kingdom."[38] The7 July 2005 London bombings emphasised the difference in the terrorist threat to both nations. Terrorism against the United States and its military assets was primarily committed by foreign groups, like theal-Qaeda network and other Islamic extremists from the Middle East. The London bombings were carried out by homegrown extremist Muslims, and they emphasised the United Kingdom's threat from the radicalisation of its own people.
After claims byLiberty those British airports had been used by theCIA forextraordinary rendition flights, theAssociation of Chief Police Officers launched an investigation in November 2005. The report was published in June 2007 and found no evidence to support the claim. This was on the same day the Council of Europe released its report with evidence that the UK had colluded in extraordinary rendition, thus directly contradicting ACPO's findings.[39] A 2018 report by theIntelligence and Security Committee of Parliament found the United Kingdom, specifically theMI5 andMI6, to be complicit in many of the renditions done by the US, having helped fund them, supplying them with intelligence and knowingly allowing them to happen.[40]
By 2007, support amongst the British public for the Iraq war had plummeted.[41] Despite Tony Blair's historically low approval ratings with the British people, mainly due to allegations of faulty government intelligence of Iraq possessingweapons of mass destruction, his unapologetic and unwavering stance for the British alliance with the United States can be summed up in his own words. He said, "We should remain the closest ally of the US... not because they are powerful, but because we share their values."[42] The alliance betweenGeorge W. Bush and Tony Blair seriously damaged the prime minister's standing in the eyes of manyBritish citizens.[43] Tony Blair argued it was in the United Kingdom's interest to "protect and strengthen the bond" with the United States regardless of who is in the White House.[44] A perception that the relationship was unequal led to use of the term "Poodle-ism" in the British media, that Britain and its leaders were lapdogs to the Americans.[45][46]
On June 11, 2009, theBritish Overseas Territory ofBermuda accepted fourChinese Uighurs from the American detainment facility at theGuantanamo Bay Naval Base in Cuba.[47] All had been captured during theUnited States-led invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001. This decision angered London, as British officials felt they should have been consulted.[48]
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On August 20, 2009, theScottish Government, headed byFirst MinisterAlex Salmond, announced that it would releaseAbdelbaset al-Megrahi on medical grounds. He was the only person convicted in the terrorist plot which killed 190 Americans and 43 Britons onPan American Worldways' Flight 103 over the town ofLockerbie, Scotland on December 21, 1988. He was sentenced to life in prison in 2001, but was now released after being diagnosed with terminal cancer, with around three months to live. Americans said the decision was uncompassionate and insensitive to the memory of the victims of the 1988 Lockerbie bombing.
PresidentBarack Obama said that the decision was "highly objectionable".[49] US AmbassadorLouis Susman said that although the decision made by Scotland was extremely regrettable, relations with the United Kingdom would remain fully intact and strong.[50] The British government, led by Prime MinisterGordon Brown, was not involved in the release and Prime Minister Brown stated at a press conference his government had played 'no role' in the Scottish decision, as responsibility forScots law and justice in Scotland is the full responsibility of the Scottish Government.[51] Abdelbaset al-Megrahi died May 20, 2012, at the age of 60.
The decision from the Scottish Government to release Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was defended by First Minister Alex Salmond, who said that he was released "in good faith" after the Scottish Government received "expert advice" which advised that al-Megrahi had only three months to live.[52] Salmond claimed that the advice had been presented to the Scottish Government by Dr Andrew Fraser, the head of medical services for theScottish Prison Service, who Salmond described as "a physician of great experience and a man with personal integrity".[52] In 2010, Salmond rejected a request from theUnited States Senate to testify aboutLibya and the decision to release Abdelbaset al-Megrahi.[53]
British policy is that the relationship with the United States represents the United Kingdom's "most important bilateral relationship" in the world.[1] United States Secretary of StateHillary Clinton paid tribute to the relationship in February 2009 by saying, "it stands the test of time".[54]
John Dumbrell wrote in 2006:
Any confidence in the absence of British anti-Americanism is misplaced. British attitudes towards the US often exhibit cultural snobbery, envy, crude stereotyping, and resentment at America's power in the world. Such attitudes do not, as we will see demonstrated in public opinion surveys, amount to a rabid hostility. In many ways, they are understandable expressions of group feeling towards an ever-present and powerful 'other'. Many of these attitudes – that, for example, the US is the land both of rampant, destructive individualism and of homogenized sameness – are inherently contradictory. It is absurd, however, to pretend that they do not exist.[55]
On March 3, 2009,Gordon Brown made his first visit to theWhite House. During his visit, he presented the president a gift in the form of a pen holder carved fromHMSGannet, which served anti-slavery missions off the coast of Africa.Barack Obama's gift to the prime minister was a box of 25 DVDs with movies includingStar Wars andE.T. The wife of the prime minister,Sarah Brown, gave the Obama daughters, Sasha and Malia, two dresses from British clothing retailerTopshop, and a few unpublished books that have not reached the United States.Michelle Obama gave the prime minister's sons twoMarine One helicopter toys.[56] During this visit to the United States, Gordon Brown made an address to a joint session of theUnited States Congress, a privilege rarely accorded to foreign heads of government.
In March 2009, aGallup poll of Americans showed 36% identified Britain as their country's "most valuable ally", followed by Canada, Japan, Israel, and Germany rounding out the top five.[57] The poll also indicated that 89% of Americans view the United Kingdom favourably, second only to Canada with 90%.[57] According to thePew Research Center, a global survey conducted in July 2009 revealed that 70% of Britons who responded had a favourable view of the United States.[58]
In 2010, Obama stated, "The United States has no closer friend and ally than the United Kingdom, and I reiterated my deep and personal commitment to the special relationship between our two countries."[59] In February 2011,The Daily Telegraph, based on evidence fromWikiLeaks, reported that the United States had tendered sensitive information about theBritish Trident nuclear arsenal (whose missile delivery systems are manufactured and maintained in the United States) to theRussian Federation as part of a deal to encourage Russia to ratify theNew START Treaty. Professor Malcolm Chalmers of theRoyal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies speculated that serial numbers could undermine Britain's non-verification policy by providing Russia "with another data point to gauge the size of the British arsenal".[60]
On May 25, 2011, during his official visit to the UK, Obama reaffirmed the relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States of America in an address to Parliament atWestminster Hall. Amongst other points, Obama stated: "I've come here today to reaffirm one of the oldest, one of the strongest alliances the World has ever known. It's long been said that the United States and the United Kingdom share a special relationship."[61] In the final days before theScottish independence referendum in September 2014, Obama announced in public the vested interest of the United States of America in enjoying the continued partnership with a 'strong and united' UK which he described as "one of the closest allies we will ever have".[62]
In 2015,GCHQ notified the US oflinks between Trump associates and Russian officials.[63] During a joint press conference with Prime MinisterTheresa May, Obama stated, "The bottom line is, is that we don't have a stronger partner anywhere in the world than the United Kingdom."[64]
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PresidentDonald Trump and British Prime MinisterTheresa May aimed to continue the United Kingdom–United States special relationship. May was the first foreign leader Trump hosted in Washington after taking office[65] andUKIP leaderNigel Farage was the first foreign politician Trump met with after winning thepresidential election, when he was stillPresident-elect.[66] However, Trump was the subject of popular protests in Britain even before he took office, particularly because of hisanti-immigration proposals, misogyny andracism.[67] During his presidency there were protests when he was inaugurated,[68][69] when he announced his firstimmigration ban on citizens from certain Muslim countries,[70] and when he said he wouldrecognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.[71]
On June 4, 2017, Trump responded to aterror attack on London Bridge by attacking London MayorSadiq Khan for saying that there "was no reason to be alarmed". The comments were condemned by Khan, who stated that his remarks were deliberately taken out of context in that he was referring to an increased police presence in the days after the attack, which should not alarm the public. Trump also suggested that, "we must stop being politically correct and get down to the business of security for our people".[72]
On November 29, 2017, Trump re-tweeted three videos posted byJayda Fransen, deputy leader of the far-right nationalistBritain First party. One of the videos, titled 'Muslim immigrant beats up Dutch boy on crutches', was subsequently discredited by the Dutch embassy in the United States. The spokesperson for the Prime Minister said that what the President had done was 'wrong' and Foreign SecretaryBoris Johnson said that 'hate speech had no place in the UK'. In response, Trump tweeted at the Prime Minister, suggesting that she worry about immigration in her own country rather than whom he chose to retweet. White House spokeswoman Sarah Sanders said that the President attempted to start a conversation about immigration.[73][74]
May was the first foreign leader to visit Trump after his inauguration, and she invited him to make a return visit. More than 1.8 million UK citizens signed a petition to rescind the invitation, and Parliament debated a nonbinding resolution to that effect in February 2017.[75] The visit was tentatively planned for late February 2018, and would include a ceremonial opening of thenew American embassy inNine Elms.[76][77] However, on January 11, 2018, he cancelled the visit and denounced the new embassy in a tweet saying:
| Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) tweeted: |
Reason I canceled my trip to London is that I am not a big fan of the Obama Administration having sold perhaps the best located and finest embassy in London for "peanuts," only to build a new one in an off location for 1.2 billion dollars. Bad deal. Wanted me to cut the ribbon-NO!
January 11, 2018[78]
This was despite the official reason for relocating the embassy due to the security, as theGrosvenor Square site couldn't accommodate the requirements for being 100 ft (30.5 m) away from the street, and the fact that the move was decided by Obama's predecessorBush, who approved the relocation in 2008.[79][80][81] It was speculated that the real reason for cancelling the visit was due to Trump's unpopularity and the possibility of large protests against him in London.[82]
Trump made asecond visit in June 2019, this time as guests of the Queen and to hold talks with May. Thousands protested his visit, just like they did when he made his first trip.[83][84]
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On July 7, 2019, secret diplomatic cables from AmbassadorKim Darroch to the British government, dating from 2017 to 2019, were leaked toThe Mail on Sunday. They included Darroch's unflattering assessments of the Trump administration, e.g. that it was "inept and insecure".[85] In response, Nigel Farage said Darroch was "totally unsuitable" for office,[86] and Trump tweeted that Darroch was "not liked or well thought of within the US" and that "we will no longer deal with him".[87] The Prime Minister, Theresa May, expressed support for Darroch and ordered a leak inquiry.[88] On July 10, Darroch resigned as Ambassador to the United States. He wrote that "the current situation is making it impossible for me to carry out my role as I would like".[89] Previously,Boris Johnson, the frontrunner in theelection to replace May, had declined to publicly back Darroch. Consensus among political commentators in the UK was that this made Darroch's position untenable.[90] May and the leader of the opposition,Jeremy Corbyn, praised Darroch's service in the House of Commons and deplored that he had to resign under pressure from the US.[89]
 | This section needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(May 2023) |
In 2017, US PresidentDonald Trump appointed pharmaceutical heirWoody Johnson, a financial supporter of his campaign, as ambassador 2017–2021. Johnson advocated for more agricultural trade and the deregulation of US food exports to Britain.[91] In March 2019, Johnson wrote an article in theDaily Telegraph promoting American chlorinated chicken as safe, and stating that health fears over hormone-fed beef were "myths".[92] This came after he urged the UK to open up to the US agriculture market after the British exit from the European Union and ignore the "smear campaign" of those with "their own protectionist agenda".[93]
Johnson was criticised by several British agriculture standard boards, such as the Red Tractor Assurance whose CEO, Jim Moseley stated the UK's food standards were "now under threat from ... the United States food lobby".[94][95] Minette Batters, president of the UK National Farmers Union, agreed with Johnson's claims that chlorine-rinsed chicken was safe for consumption, but stated that factors such as animal welfare and environmental protection also had to be considered.[96] George Eustace, former British agriculture minister, told the press:
Agriculture in the US remains quite backward in many respects....Whereas we have a 'farm to fork' approach to managing disease and contamination risk throughout the supply chain through good husbandry, the US is more inclined to simply treat contamination of its meat at the end with a chlorine or similar wash.[97]
In 2020, while the UK was planning to invest in new5G mobile telecommunications equipment, Washington was openly lobbying and pressuring the British government, to prevent allowing the Chinese telecommunications giantHuawei from installing its equipment in the UK.[98] This was over allegations it will allow the Chinese to espionage in the country, and this might be a break in theFive Eyes intelligence programme. Since 2003, the UK has allowed its telecoms operators, such as the incumbentBT, to install Huawei equipment in its infrastructure backbone. To prevent any concerns about possible hacking after reports of unusual activity in the Huawei equipment, in 2010 Huawei jointly created with the British intelligence agencyGCHQ an equipment investigate centre in the outskirts ofBanbury called theHuawei Cyber Security Evaluation Centre which is also known by its nickname"the Cell".[99][100] In July 2020 after American pressure, the British government announced that it has banned adding any new Huawei telecoms equipment into the Britishlandline andmobile networks, and request that all companies replace the existing equipment by 2027.[101][102]
Biden's first overseas trip and first face-to-face meeting with a British Prime Minister was at the2021 G7 Summit, hosted inCornwall, England, in June.[103] Johnson stated "there's so much that [the US] want to do together" with us. The first meeting between the two leaders included plans to re-establish travel links between the US and UK, which had been banned by the US since the start of the pandemic and to agree a deal (theNew Atlantic Charter), which commits the countries to working together on "the key challenges of this century - cyber security, emerging technologies, global health and climate change". President Biden explicitly "affirmed the special relationship".[104] The revitalized Atlantic Charter would build "on the commitments and aspirations set out eighty years ago" and also "reaffirm" the "commitment to work together to realise our vision for a more peaceful and prosperous future."[105][106]
The chaoticwithdrawal from Afghanistan andfall of Kabul in August 2021 hurt United Kingdom–United States relations,[107] with the British government briefing media against the American government.[108]
On September 15, 2021, the leaders of the US, the UK, and Australia announced "AUKUS":
a new security partnership in the Indo-Pacific, building on the longstanding alliance between the three to share intelligence, deepen cooperation, and help Australia build a new nuclear-powered submarine to counter China.[109]
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On September 21, 2021,Boris Johnson stated that he would not commit to a new trade agreement by 2024, stating that President Biden has "a lot of fish to fry."[110]
On May 8, 2025, the UK and US announced an agreement in principle on an Economic Prosperity Deal, paving the way for renewed negotiations.[111][112]
According to a POLITICO-Public First poll conducted in April 2025, the vast majority of American and British adults support their governments reaching an agreement, but less than a third of respondents in the UK and 44% of Americans said they believe President Donald Trump will stick to it.[113]
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In September 2025, President Trump made hissecond official state visit to the United Kingdom, staying atWindsor Castle and later meeting Prime MinisterKeir Starmer atChequers.[114]
In November 2025, sources toldCNN that the UK had suspendedintelligence sharing with the USabout suspected drug trafficking vessels in the Caribbean over the risks of being complicit in fatal US military strikes on the vessels, which the UK reportedly believes are illegal.[115][116]
On 24 December 2025, the US State Department issued travel bans on two British individuals,Imran Ahmed of theCenter for Countering Digital Hate andClare Melford of theGlobal Disinformation Index, stating they "have led organized efforts to coerce American platforms to punish American viewpoints they oppose".[117]
In January 2026, the U.S. under President Donald Trump expressedrenewed desire in annexing Greenland, which is an autonomous territory ofDenmark, prompting UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to say the United Kingdom opposed any change to Greenland's status absent Greenlandic and Danish consent. The UK also joinedOperation Arctic Endurance, a military operation in Greenland, to counter the crisis. Trump later backed away from tariff threats and ruled out taking Greenland by force.[118][119] The UK also declined to join Trump's proposed international "Board of Peace" initiative, citing legal concerns and reservations about possible participation by Russian presidentVladimir Putin.[120]
The United States accounts for the United Kingdom's largest single export market, buying $57 billion worth of British goods in 2007.[121] Total trade of imports and exports between the United Kingdom and the United States amounted to the sum of $107.2 billion in 2007.[122]
The United States and the United Kingdom share the world's largest foreign direct investment partnership. In 2005, American direct investment in the United Kingdom totaled $324 billion, while British direct investment in the United States totaled $282 billion.[123] In a press conference that made several references to the special relationship, US Secretary of StateJohn Kerry, in London with UK Foreign SecretaryWilliam Hague on September 9, 2013, said:
We are not only each other's largest investors in each of our countries, one to the other, but the fact is that every day almost one million people go to work in America for British companies that are in the United States, just as more than one million people go to work here in Great Britain for American companies that are here. So we are enormously tied together, obviously. And we are committed to making both the U.S.-UK and the U.S.-EU relationships even stronger drivers of our prosperity.[124]
In 2020, the two countries opened negotiations for afree trade agreement; however, talks have been postponed until 2025 at the earliest.[125]
In 2022, with the administration of PresidentJoe Biden uninterested in further negotiations, the United Kingdom began negotiating economic agreements with individual states.[126] Regulation of international trade is a federal responsibility under theCommerce Clause of the US Constitution, preventing state agreements from changing customs rules; therefore, the UK has aimed at signingMemorandum of Understanding (MoU) agreements with theUS states. MoUs aim to remove market access barriers and increase trade and investment opportunities for UK and US companies.FormerBritish trade ministerPenny Mordaunt claimed that US state-level deals would pave the way for a full UK-US FTA.[127]
| No. | Signed | State | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 27, 2022 |  Indiana | [128] |
| 2 | July 20, 2022 |  North Carolina | [129] |
| 3 | December 7, 2022 |  South Carolina | [130] |
| 4 | April 18, 2023 |  Oklahoma | [131] |
| 5 | June 22, 2023 |  Utah | [132] |
| 6 | September 25, 2023 |  Washington | [133] |
| 7 | November 14, 2023 |  Florida | [134][135] |
| 8 | March 13, 2024 |  Texas | [136][137] |
Trade negotiations ongoing:
In June 2023, Biden and Sunak announced the 'Atlantic Declaration' to strengthen economic ties between the UK and the US.[143] The agreement included a limited trade pact covering critical minerals needed forEVbatteries and a new data protection deal, in addition to easing trade barriers.[144][145] The declaration commits both nations to increase research collaboration in future technologies, such asAI, future5G and6G telecoms,quantum,semiconductors andengineering biology.[146] In addition to a commitment in principle to a new UK-US Data Bridge; that facilitates the transfer of data by UK businesses to certified US organisations.[147]
During the signing of theaccession of the United Kingdom to CPTPP on July 16, 2023,Kemi Badenoch blamed the lack of progress on the UK-US FTA on the change of administration from Donald Trump to Joe Biden after the 2020 election.[148][149]
On October 3, 2023, Biden and Sunak were reported to be preparing a "foundational" trade agreement between the two countries which will be modelled on theIndo-Pacific Economic Framework, however it will not constitute afree trade agreement underWorld Trade Organization rules as the proposals do not containmarket access commitments.[150] The proposed partnership aims to cover subjects such as digital trade, labour protections andagriculture.[151] On the same day, Badenoch reiterated that there was "zero" chance of a free trade agreement under President Biden's administration, citing his attitude to such deals.[152]
Relations between the United Kingdom and the United States underwent a significant diplomatic rupture in early 2026. On January 17, 2026, PresidentDonald Trump announced viaTruth Social the imposition of a 10%tariff on all British goods, effective February 1, 2026.[153] The administration stated the rate would increase to 25% on June 1, 2026, unless a deal was reached for the "Complete and Total purchase ofGreenland" by the United States.[154]
The tariffs were characterized as retaliation for the UK's participation inOperation Arctic Endurance, a multilateral mission supporting Danish sovereignty on the island. Prime MinisterKeir Starmer condemned the measures as "completely wrong," asserting that "applying tariffs on allies for pursuing the collective security ofNATO allies" was unacceptable and that Greenland's future remained a matter for Denmark and Greenlanders.[155] The dispute has been described by analysts as the most significant threat to theSpecial Relationship since its inception.[156]
At theWorld Economic Forum inDavos on 21 January 2026, Trump said the United States would not proceed with the tariffs on British goods that had been scheduled to take effect on 1 February.[157][158]
More than 4.5 million Britons visit the United States every year, spending $14 billion. Around 3 million people from the United States visit the United Kingdom every year, spending $10 billion.[159] With the worldwide pandemic of COVID-19, international tourism in both countries collapsed in 2020.
Following the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, tourism has recovered globally, with some regions of the world experiencing a higher degree of tourism than before the pandemic.[160] In 2023, the UK received 5.1 million visitors from the US, the highest number ever recorded; spending £6.3 billion.[161] As of January 2025, British visitors to the US totalled almost 3 million, using a YTD format.[162]
All three major American airlines,American Airlines,United Airlines, andDelta Air Lines fly directly between the US and the UK, principally between London and New York, although all three fly toHeathrow Airport from several hubs, as well as to other major UK airports such asManchester Airport,Edinburgh Airport andGlasgow Airport. Additionally, Deltacodeshares with the UK'sVirgin Atlantic which it owns a 49% stake. Low-cost carriersJetBlue andSouthwest Airlines fly between the eastern US and the British overseas territories ofBermuda,British Virgin Islands,Cayman Islands, and theTurks & Caicos Islands, with JetBlue also flying between London and New York. The British flag carrierBritish Airways flies to over twenty destinations in the US. Also, the main Britishcharter airline,TUI Airways, flies to the US, although principally to the holiday destinations of Florida and California. Both American Airlines and British Airways are founders of theairline allianceOneworld. BA, TUI Airways, and Virgin Atlantic are major purchasers of American-madeBoeing aircraft. Flying between the US and UK is at the moment in 2019 supported by theUS-EU Open Skies Agreement, which came about in 2008, which allows any airline from either country to fly between each other.
John F. Kennedy International Airport inNew York City is the most popular international destination for people flying out ofHeathrow Airport. Over 2.8 million people on multiple daily non-stop flights flew from Heathrow to JFK in 2008.[163]Concorde, British Airways' flagship supersonic airliner, began trans-Atlantic service toWashington Dulles International Airport in the United States on May 24, 1976. The trans-Atlantic route between London's Heathrow and New York's JFK, in under 3½ hours, had its first operational flight between the two hubs on October 19, 1977, and the last on October 23, 2003.[164]
The two main Americanintercity bus carriers;Greyhound Lines and during the period from 1999 to 2019Coach USA, plus their subsidiaries are each owned by a major British transportation companyFirstGroup with Greyhound[165] andStagecoach with Coach USA. Coach USA's budget brandMegabus, which started in 2006, is a copycat ofthe British version of the discount coach company that started in 2003.[166]
In the 20th century, there were 78 formal and informal summits bringing together the president and the prime minister to deal with an agreed-upon agenda. The first was in 1918, the second in 1929. The rest began in 1941, which marked the decline of ambassadors as the key transmitters of policy discussions. In three out of four of the summits, the British delegation traveled to America. Summits have become much less important in the 21st century, with its new communication modes.[167]
State visits involving the head of state have been made over the years by four presidents and two monarchs.Queen Elizabeth II met all the presidents fromHarry Truman toJoe Biden (The Queen did not meetLyndon Johnson during his presidency,[a] but Johnson attended the state dinner hosted byDwight Eisenhower at theWhite House for the Queen on her state visit to the United States on October 17, 1957 asSenate Majority Leader.[169][170]).[171][172] In addition, the Queen made three private visits in 1984, 1985, and 1991 to see stallion stations and stud farms.[173]
| Dates | Guests | Hosts | Locations | Itinerary |
| June 7–11, 1939 | King George VI andQueen Elizabeth | Franklin D. Roosevelt andEleanor Roosevelt | Washington, DC,New York City, andHyde Park | Paid a state visit toWashington, DC, stayed at theWhite House, laid a wreath at theTomb of the Unknowns inArlington National Cemetery, visitedGeorge Washington's former residence atMount Vernon, made an appearance at the1939 World's Fair in New York City, and made a private visit to Franklin Roosevelt'sSpringwood Estate inNew York state. |
| October 17–20, 1957 | Queen Elizabeth II andPrince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh | Dwight D. Eisenhower andMamie Eisenhower | Jamestown andWilliamsburg, Washington, DC, and New York City | Paid a state visit to Washington, DC, attended the official ceremonies of the 350th anniversary of the settlement ofJamestown, Virginia, and made a brief stopover in New York City to address theUnited Nations General Assembly before sailing to the United Kingdom.Lyndon B. Johnson attended the state dinner at theWhite House asSenate Majority Leader on October 17, 1957, which might be the only occasion on which he ever met the Queen. |
| July 6–9, 1976 | Gerald Ford andBetty Ford | Philadelphia, Washington, DC, New York City,Charlottesville, Virginia,Newport, Rhode Island,Providence, Rhode Island, andBoston | Paid astate visit to Washington, DC, and toured theUnited States East Coast in conjunction with theUnited States Bicentennial celebrations aboardHMY Britannia. | |
| February 26 – March 7, 1983 | Ronald Reagan andNancy Reagan | San Diego,Palm Springs, California,Los Angeles,Santa Barbara, California,San Francisco,Yosemite National Park inCalifornia, andSeattle | Made an official visit to the United States, toured theUnited States West Coast aboardHMY Britannia, and made a private visit to Ronald Reagan's retreat,Rancho del Cielo, in theSanta Ynez Mountains. | |
| May 14–17, 1991 | George H. W. Bush andBarbara Bush | Washington, DC,Baltimore,Miami,Tampa, Florida,Austin, Texas,San Antonio,Houston, andLexington, Kentucky | Paid astate visit to Washington, DC, addressed a joint session of theUnited States Congress, made a private visit toKentucky, and toured theSouthern United States and visited theLyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum and metLady Bird Johnson and family. | |
| May 3–8, 2007 | George W. Bush andLaura Bush | Richmond, Virginia, Jamestown, and Williamsburg (Virginia),Louisville, Kentucky,Greenbelt, Maryland, and Washington, DC | Paid astate visit to Washington, DC, addressed theVirginia General Assembly, attended the official ceremonies of the 400th anniversary of the establishment of Jamestown, toured NASA'sGoddard Space Flight Center, visited theNational World War II Memorial on theNational Mall, and made a private visit to Kentucky to attend the 133rdKentucky Derby. | |
| July 6, 2010 | - | New York City | Made a one-day official visit to the United States to address theUnited Nations General Assembly, visited theWorld Trade Center site to pay respects to the victims of theSeptember 11 attacks, and paid homage to British victims of the terrorist attack at theQueen Elizabeth September 11 Garden inHanover Square. |
| Dates | Guests | Hosts | Locations | Itinerary |
| December 26–28, 1918 | Woodrow Wilson andEdith Wilson | King George V andQueen Mary | London, Carlisle, and Manchester | Paid an official visit to the United Kingdom, stayed atBuckingham Palace, attended an official dinner, had an audience with King George V and Queen Mary, and made a private visit, called the pilgrimage of the heart, to the ancestral home of his British-born mother, Janet Woodrow. |
| June 7–9, 1982 | Ronald Reagan andNancy Reagan | Queen Elizabeth II andPrince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh | London and Windsor | Paid an official visit to the United Kingdom, stayed atWindsor Castle, attended a state banquet, and addressedParliament. |
| November 28 – December 1, 1995 | Bill Clinton andHillary Clinton | London,Belfast, andDerry | Paid an official visit to the United Kingdom, laid a wreath on theTomb of the Unknown Warrior inWestminster Abbey, and addressed Parliament. | |
| November 18–21, 2003 | George W. Bush andLaura Bush | London andSedgefield | Paid astate visit to the United Kingdom, stayed atBuckingham Palace, attended a state banquet, laid a wreath on theTomb of the Unknown Warrior inWestminster Abbey, and made a private visit toTony Blair's constituency inCounty Durham. | |
| May 24–26, 2011 | Barack Obama andMichelle Obama | London | Paid astate visit to the United Kingdom, stayed at Buckingham Palace, welcomed during an arrival ceremony inBuckingham Palace Gardens, attended a state banquet, laid a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior, addressed Parliament, presented wedding gifts toPrince William, Duke of Cambridge andCatherine, Duchess of Cambridge, donated aMacBooknotebook computers toPeace Players International, met with Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, and Prime MinisterDavid Cameron. | |
| June 3–5, 2019 | Donald Trump andMelania Trump | Queen Elizabeth II | London andPortsmouth | Paid astate visit to the United Kingdom, stayed at theWinfield House, welcomed during an arrival ceremony inBuckingham Palace Gardens, attended a state banquet, laid a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior inWestminster Abbey, met with Queen Elizabeth II and Prime MinisterTheresa May. |
| September 16–18, 2025 | King Charles III andQueen Camilla | London andWindsor | Paid astate visit to the United Kingdom, stayed atWindsor Castle, attended a state banquet, and met with King Charles III and Prime MinisterKeir Starmer. |
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TheStrategic Alliance Cyber Crime Working Group is an initiative byAustralia,Canada,New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and headed by the United States as a "formal partnership between these nations dedicated to tackling larger global crime issues, particularly organised crime". The cooperation consists of "five countries from three continents banding together to fight cyber crime synergistically by sharing intelligence, swapping tools and best practices, and strengthening and even synchronising their respective laws".[181]
Within this initiative, there is increased information sharing between the United Kingdom'sNational Crime Agency and the United States'Federal Bureau of Investigation on matters relating to serious fraud or cyber crime.
TheUK–USA Security Agreement is an alliance of five English-speaking countries: Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States, for the sole purpose of sharing intelligence. The precursor to this agreement is essentially an extension of the historicBRUSA Agreement, which was signed in 1943. In association with theECHELON system, all five nations are assigned to intelligence collection and analysis from different parts of the world. For example, the United Kingdom hunts for communications inEurope,Africa, andEuropean Russia whereas the United States has responsibility for gathering intelligence inLatin America,Asia,Asiatic Russia, andnorthern mainland China.[182]
Ashby-de-la-Zouch and
Evans, ColoradoAshford and
Hopewell, VirginiaBarnet, London and
Barnet, VermontBarnet, London and
Montclair, New JerseyBarnstaple and
Barnstable, MassachusettsBelper and
Pawtucket, Rhode IslandBerwick-upon-Tweed and
Berwick, PennsylvaniaBillericay andBillerica, MassachusettsBillericay andFishers, IndianaBirmingham and
Chicago, IllinoisBodmin and
Grass Valley, CaliforniaBoston, Lincolnshire andBoston, MassachusettsBrentwood and
Brentwood, TennesseeBurton upon Trent andElkhart, IndianaBury andWoodbury, New JerseyCalne andCaln Township, PennsylvaniaCanterbury andBloomington, IllinoisCheltenham andCheltenham, PennsylvaniaChester andLakewood, ColoradoCornwall and
Cornwall, New YorkCounty Durham andDurham County, North CarolinaCoventry and
Coventry, ConnecticutCoventry andCoventry, New YorkCoventry andCoventry, Rhode IslandDalton-in-Furness andDalton, PennsylvaniaDoncaster andWilmington, North CarolinaDover and
Huber Heights, OhioDurham andDurham, North CarolinaEvesham andEvesham Township, New JerseyFleetwood andFleetwood, PennsylvaniaGravesend andChesterfield, VirginiaHartlepool and
Muskegon, MichiganHaverhill andHaverhill, MassachusettsHaworth andHaworth, New JerseyHertford andHartford, ConnecticutHinckley andMidland, OhioKeighley andMyrtle Beach, South CarolinaKettering andKettering, OhioKingston upon Hull andRaleigh, North CarolinaLeeds, City of and
Louisville, KentuckyLincoln and
Lincoln, NebraskaLambeth, London andBrooklyn, New YorkLondon andNew York City, New YorkManchester andLos Angeles, CaliforniaMansfield andMansfield, MassachusettsMansfield andMansfield, OhioNewcastle upon Tyne and
Atlanta, GeorgiaNewmarket andLexington, KentuckyNorfolk andNorfolk, VirginiaNorthampton andEaston, PennsylvaniaNorthampton andNorthampton, PennsylvaniaOakham and
Dodgeville, WisconsinOxford andOxford, MichiganPenzance andNevada City, CaliforniaPlymouth andPlymouth, MassachusettsPortsmouth and
Portsmouth, New HampshireReading andReading, PennsylvaniaRedruth andMineral Point, WisconsinRichmond, London andRichmond, VirginiaRochester andRochester, New YorkRugeley andWestern Springs, IllinoisRunnymede andHerndon, VirginiaRye andRye, New HampshireSalisbury and
Salisbury, MarylandSalisbury andSalisbury, North CarolinaSefton, Metropolitan Borough of andFort Lauderdale, FloridaSheffield andPittsburgh, PennsylvaniaShrewsbury andShrewsbury, MassachusettsSouthampton andHampton, VirginiaStafford andStafford County, VirginiaSwindon andChattanooga, TennesseeSouthwark, London andCambridge, MassachusettsStourbridge andSturbridge, MassachusettsStratford-upon-Avon andStratford, ConnecticutStroud andStroud, OklahomaSunderland and
Washington, DCTaunton andTaunton, MassachusettsTruro andTruro, MassachusettsWarrington andLake County, IllinoisWarwick andWarwick, New YorkWarwick andWarwick, Rhode IslandWatford and
Wilmington, DelawareWhitby and
Anchorage, AlaskaWhitby and
Waimea, HawaiiWinchester andWinchester, VirginiaWirral, Metropolitan Borough of andMidland, TexasWolverhampton andBuffalo, New YorkWorcester andWorcester, Massachusetts
Aberdeen andAberdeen, WashingtonAberdeen andHouston, TexasBlairgowrie andPleasanton, CaliforniaDundee andAlexandria, VirginiaDunfermline andSarasota, FloridaEdinburgh andSan Diego, CaliforniaInverness andInverness, FloridaLivingston andGrapevine, TexasMidlothian andMidlothian,IllinoisPrestwick andVandalia, OhioStirling andDunedin, FloridaStornoway andPendleton, South CarolinaDull, Perth and Kinross and
Boring, OregonBirnam andAshevilleDumfries andAnnapolis, MarylandDunbar andMartinez, CaliforniaDunkeld andAsheville, North CarolinaFalkirk andSan Rafael, CaliforniaForres andMount Dora, FloridaGlasgow andPittsburghGrangemouth andLa Porte, IndianaKelso, Scottish Borders andKelso, WashingtonOban andLaurinburg, North CarolinaSouth Ayrshire andNewnan, GeorgiaStonehaven and
Athens, AlabamaStornoway andPendleton, South CarolinaLinlithgow andGrapevine, Texas
Brecon andSaline, MichiganMachynlleth andBelleville, MichiganNantyglo andNanty Glo, PennsylvaniaNewport, Pembrokeshire, andAnnapolis, Maryland
Ballymena andMorehead, KentuckyBangor, County Down andVirginia Beach, VirginiaBelfast and
Belfast, MaineBelfast andBoston, MassachusettsBelfast andNashville, TennesseeCarrickfergus andAnderson, South CarolinaCarrickfergus andJackson, MichiganCastlereagh andKent, WashingtonCraigavon andLaGrange, GeorgiaDerry andBuffalo, New YorkKillyleagh andCleveland, North CarolinaLarne andClover, South CarolinaNewtownabbey and
Gilbert, ArizonaCambridge andCambridge, MassachusettsLiverpool andMemphis, TennesseeLiverpool and
New Orleans, LouisianaNewcastle upon Tyne and
Little Rock, ArkansasWellingborough andWillingboro, New Jersey
The United States and Britain share many threads of cultural heritage.
Since English is the main language of both the British and the Americans, both nations belong to theEnglish-speaking world. Their common language comes with (relatively minor)differences in spelling, pronunciation, and the meaning of words.[184]
TheAmerican legal system is largely based onEnglish common law. TheAmerican system of local government is rooted inEnglish precedents, such as the offices of county courts and sheriffs. Although the US remains more highly religious than Britain,[185] the largest Protestant denominations emerged from British churches brought across the Atlantic, such as theBaptists,Methodists,Congregationalists and Episcopalians. Britain and the United States practice what is commonly referred to as anAnglo-Saxon economy in which levels of regulation and taxes are relatively low, and the government provides a low to medium level of social services in return.[186]Independence Day, July 4, is a national celebration that commemorates the July 4, 1776, adoption of theDeclaration of Independence from the British Empire. American defiance of Britain is expressed in the American national anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner", written during theWar of 1812 to the tune of a British celebratory song as the Americans beat off a British attack on Baltimore.
It is estimated that between 40.2 million and 72.1 million Americans today have British ancestry, i.e., between 13% and 23.3% of the US population.[187][188][189] In the1980 US census, 61,311,449 Americans reported British ancestry[clarification needed] reaching 32.56% of the US population at the time which, even today, would make them the largest ancestry group in the United States.[190]
Particular symbols of the close relationship between the two countries are the JFK Memorial and theAmerican Bar Association's Magna Carta Memorial, both atRunnymede in England.
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Both the United States and the United Kingdom share the similarity that a majority of their populations state that their belief isChristian, at70.4% in the US[191] and59.5% in the UK. Also, in both countries, the majority of Christian followers are members of themainline Protestant group of churches, rather than theRoman Catholic Church, although the Catholic church is relatively sizeable in both countries. Many of these mainline Protestant churches in the United States have their origins in the United Kingdom, or their founders were British. This includesEpiscopal (Anglican),Baptist,Methodist,Presbyterian,Congregational, andQuaker.
Nevertheless, there are three big disparities between the two nations in the role of religion and faith. Firstly, the United Kingdom hasan established church in two of the four nations of the country; the AnglicanChurch of England, wherethe head of state isthe head of the church in one, and the PresbyterianChurch of Scotland which plays a notable role of the other. The United States, on the other hand, requires a strictseparation of church and state, as stated inthe First Amendment. Another sizable difference between the US and the UK is thepiety of followers, as the UK is much moresecular than the US. A Gallup poll in 2015 reported that 41% of Americans said theyregularly attend religious services,[192] compared to just 10% of Britons.[193] Thirdly, a preeminent distinction between the two countries is the declaration of faith. In the United Kingdom, religion, especially those who follow the mainstream Protestant churches, is rarely discussed, and the country is a secular society. However, in the US, religion and faith are seen as a major part of the personal being, and declarations are much stronger.[citation needed]
The United Kingdom also has a large number of those possessingno faith or areagnostic with 25.7% saying they areirreligious, compared with just10% in the United States who say that they don't believe in a God. Many notable British atheists, includingRichard Dawkins andChristopher Hitchens, are known in the US. TheAtheist Bus campaign, which started in London in 2008 byAriane Sherine, was copied by local atheists in America and put on buses in Washington, DC,[194] andBloomington, Indiana.
The differing attitudes towards religion between the US and the UK cause a large schism between the two nations, and much of the general attitude of the society as a whole on fundamental social issues, including abortion, minority rights, blasphemy, the role of church and the state in society, etc.[citation needed] Both the United States and the United Kingdom share several followers of other minority faiths, although the numbers and type of faith practice in both countries differ wildly due to the ethnic and cultural makeup of both countries.[citation needed] The other minority faiths that are practiced in both countries includeJudaism,Islam,Hinduism,Sikhism,Paganism andBuddhism.
Many classic dishes or foods fromAmerican cuisine such ashamburgers,hot dogs,barbecue chicken,New York Pizza,deep-pan pizza,chewing gum,tomato soup,chilli-con-carne,chocolate chip cookies,chocolate brownies,soft-scoop ice cream anddonuts are popular in the United Kingdom. Drinks likecola,milkshakes andbourbon are also popular. Several major American food trends and fads have also been popular and influential in the British palate, for example,weight management diets andcraft beer.
Some American foods, likecornflakes,baked beans, andcrisps (known as potato chips in the United States), have become so entrenched in the UK's food culture that they have completely lost their American roots and are considered part of British cuisine.Breakfast cereals like corn flakes,bran flakes andpuffed rice came from the US to the UK in the beginning of twentieth century, and virtually changed the perception ofbreakfasts locally.[195]
Some British foods have been just as popular in the US, such asapple pie,macaroni and cheese, andsandwich.[196] British cuisine was a major influence on thecuisine of the Southern United States, includingfried chicken.[197] British foods likefish and chips,shepherd's pie,Sunday Roast,BeefSteak,Steak Diane,Afternoon Tea andgingerbread are also entrenched in American food culture. Drinking culture in the US has been heavily influenced by Britain, especially the introduction ofwhisky and certain styles of beer in the colonial period.[198][199] By the late 20th Century, British cuisine was sometimes stereotyped as being unappealing in the United States, although British cuisine is commonly eaten there.[200] This reputation has been attributed to the impact that WWII rationing had on British cuisine in the mid-20th Century.[196]
Many major American food andfast moving consumer goods companies have British operations includingMolson Coors,[201]McCormick & Company,[202]Kellogg's,[203]Campbell's,[204]Kraft-Heinz,[205]PepsiCo,[206]Coca-Cola[207] &Mondelez[208] The major British food manufacturers that operate in the United States areUnilever,[209]Associated British Foods[210] andDiageo.[211] The purchase of the British food companyCadbury by the American companyKraft Foods in 2010, caused a storm on whether the company would change the recipe for itssignature chocolate[212] and the conditions at Cadbury's food factories.[213]
Additionally, there are several American restaurant and café chains likeMcDonald's,Burger King,KFC,Domino's Pizza,Pizza Hut,Krispy Kreme,[214] andStarbucks that have enterprises on the other side of the Atlantic. A small number of British chains likePret a Manger,[215]YO! Sushi andItsu[216] have operations in the US, principally around New York City. The British catering companyCompass Group has several catering contracts in the States, including for the federal government and the US military.[217] During the start of 2020, Youtube channelInsider asked their resident American and British journalists Joe Avella and Harry Kersh to compare various chain restaurant menus of both the US and UK, under the title of Food Wars.[218]
Since the2016 EU referendum, there has been growing concern about whether a possible UK–USfree trade agreement would lead to changes in food practices and laws in the UK.[219] The concern is that American food standards laws are much looser than the UK's, such as rules governing cleanliness, the use of antibiotics and pesticides,animal welfare conditions and the use ofgenetically modified food. Many of these concerns have been symbolised by the production process of American poultry, often known as "chlorinated chicken".[220][221]
Both the US and UK are considered culturalsuperpowers; both countries have a large-scale influence around the world in film, music, literature, and television.[222]
Literature is transferred across theAtlantic Ocean, as evidenced by the appeal of British authors such asWilliam Shakespeare,Charles Dickens,J. R. R. Tolkien,Jackie Collins, andJ. K. Rowling in the United States, and American authors includingHarriet Beecher Stowe,Mark Twain,Ernest Hemingway,Stephen King, andDan Brown in Britain.Henry James andT. S. Eliot both moved to Britain and were well known in both countries. Eliot moved to England in 1914 and became a British subject in 1927. He was a dominant figure in literary criticism and greatly influenced theModern period ofBritish literature.[223]
In the UK, many American novels includingThe Catcher in the Rye,Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry,[224]Of Mice and Men,[225] andThe Color Purple[226] are frequently used texts for British secondary-level education English and English Literature exams as set by the main examination boards.
In the media, connections between the US and the UK in print media are minor but strong in online content. Until 2016, a condensed version ofThe New York Times was insideThe Observer newspaper. In somenewsagents in the UK, people can find international editions ofUSA Today,The New York Times International Edition,[b] the Europe edition ofTime,Newsweek,The New Yorker,New York magazine andForeign Affairs. While in the US you would be able to find the international edition ofThe Economist and in New York City, theFinancial Times. AfterRupert Murdoch purchases theNew York Post in November 1976,[227] he redesigned the newspaper into a populist right-wing tabloid, likewise his earlier relaunch of the BritishSun newspaper as a down-market tabloid from 1969.[228][229]
In magazine publishing, the two large American magazine publishing houses,Hearst andCondé Nast, maintain operations in the UK, and British editions of the US magazinesGood Housekeeping,GQ,Men's Health,Cosmopolitan,Vogue,National Geographic,Wired and others are available in Britain. On occasion, some American editions are also available for purchase, usually next to the local edition or in the international section. In British magazines in the US,Northern & Shell created an American version ofOK! magazine in 2005.
There are several Americans and British in each other's countries'press corp, includingeditors,correspondents,journalists, andcolumnists. Individuals born in the United States active in the British press corp include theFT's news editor Peter Spiegel,Daily Telegraph columnistJanet Daley,The Times columnistHadley Freeman and theGuardian columnistTim Dowling and. Originally from the UK wereChristopher Hitchens (1949–2011) and the current editor ofVogue,Anna Wintour. The previous CEO ofThe New York Times Company between 2012 and 2020 was the formerDirector-General of the BBC (effectively a CEO),Mark Thompson. The current editor-in-chief of the London-basedGuardian since 2015,[230]Katharine Viner was previously the editor ofThe Guardian's American website between 2014 and 2015.[231]
In terms of online content, three newspaper-online sites have American editions,TheGuardian.com,[232]Mail Online andThe Independent.[233]BBC News Online is a frequently visited by Americans. The American online news sitesBuzzFeed,[234]Breitbart News andHuffPost (formerlyThe Huffington Post)[235] all previously possess British-based editions before shutting them down.
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There is much crossover appeal in the modern entertainment culture of the United Kingdom and the United States. For example,Hollywood blockbuster movies made bySteven Spielberg andGeorge Lucas have had a large effect on British audiences in the United Kingdom, while theJames Bond andHarry Potter series of films have attracted high interest in the United States. Also, the animated films ofWalt Disney as well as those ofPixar,DreamWorks,Don Bluth,Blue Sky,Illumination and others have continued to make an indelible mark and impression on British audiences, young and old, for almost 100 years. Films byAlfred Hitchcock continuously make a lasting impact on a loyal fan base in the United States, as Alfred Hitchcock himself influenced notable American filmmakers such asJohn Carpenter in the horror and slasher film genres. Production of films is often shared between the two nations, whether it be a concentrated use of British and American actors or the use of film studios located in London or Hollywood.
Broadway theatre in New York City has toured London'sWest End theatre over the years, with notable performances such asThe Lion King,Grease,Wicked, andRent. British productions, such asMamma Mia! and several ofAndrew Lloyd Webber's musicals, includingJoseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,Cats andThe Phantom of the Opera have found success on Broadway. For over 150 years, Shakespeare's plays have been overwhelmingly popular with upscale American audiences.[236]
Both the United Kingdom and the United States have similar television shows, as they are either carried by the other nation's networks or are re-created for distribution in their own nations. Some popular British television programmes that were re-created for the American market in more recent years includeHouse of Cards,The Office,Pop Idol (American Idol),Strictly Come Dancing (Dancing with the Stars),Top Gear,Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?,Weakest Link andThe X Factor. Some American television shows re-created for the British market in more recent years includeThe Apprentice andDeal or No Deal. Many American television shows have been popular in the United Kingdom.
TheBBC airs two networks in the United States,BBC America andBBC World News. The American networkPBS collaborates with the BBC and rebroadcasts British television shows in the United States such asDoctor Who,Keeping Up Appearances,Masterpiece Theatre,Monty Python's Flying Circus,Nova. The BBC also frequently collaborates with American networkHBO, showing recent American mini-series in the United Kingdom such asBand of Brothers,The Gathering Storm,John Adams, andRome. Likewise, the American networkDiscovery Channel has partnered with the BBC by televising recent British mini-series in the United States such asPlanet Earth andThe Blue Planet, the latter popularly known asThe Blue Planet: Seas of Life in the American format. The United States' public affairs channelC-SPAN, broadcastsPrime Minister's Questions every Sunday.[237]
On some British digital television platforms, it is also possible to watch American television channels that are tailored for British audiences such asCNBC Europe,CNN International,ESPN Classic,Comedy Central,PBS America andFox. TheSuper Bowl, theNational Football League's championship tournament ofAmerican football, which occurs every February, has been broadcast in the United Kingdom since 1982.[238] Conversely, thePremier League has been shown onNBC Sports Network in the United States.[239] Until 2017,Formula One television coverage in the United States has used an American-based team but the announcers are British; from 2018Sky Sports has taken over Formula One coverage throughESPN2.
Compared to music and television broadcasting, radio broadcasting is limited to both sides of the pond. There are several reasons for this. The major one is that the majority of radio broadcasting in the United States iscommercial and funded by advertising and the smallnetwork of public radio stations are supported by donations, compared to the United Kingdom where the national public broadcaster, theBBC is the major player which funded by the obligatorytelevision licence. This leads to a completely different structure of the number and type of radio stations and their broadcasting schedules.
Other factors include differing technical standards of radio broadcasting. This is influenced by their countries' broadcasting authorities, which shape over-the-air radio. In the UK, it is influenced by the authorities ofOfcom and theEBU, which are working towardsDAB andDRM. While in the United States, it is influenced by theFCC, which is working towardsHD Radio. The Britishinternational broadcasting station, theBBC World Service is syndicated on various major city public radio stations in the United States such asWNYC, and onSiriusXM satellite radio,[240] through the broadcasterAmerican Public Media.[241] The American international broadcaster,Voice of America has no remit in be needed to be heard in the UK, so it doesn't broadcast there and none of its programmes is relayed on domestic stations. In a resource-saving exercise between the two international broadcasters, Voice of America shares itstransmission towers with the BBC World Service to help withshortwave transmissions in remote areas.
Internet radio andstreaming services are growing in popularity in both countries; however, listening to each other's feeds is hampered by the countries'broadcasting rights. This causes the internet radio feeds of American and British radio stations to be sometimesblocked or on restricted bandwidth. For example,BBC Radio 2 is on a 128 kbit/sAAC domestic stream, while internationally it's on a 48 kbit/sAAC+ stream. However, both the American and the British international broadcasters, Voice of America and the BBC World Service, are fully accessible online in each other's countries. Streaming services that are popular in both countries include the AmericanTuneIn,Apple Music, and Swedish-ownedSpotify. The other major services in the US, likePandora Radio andRadio.com, don't operate in the UK, and are inaccessible.
In the past, before theSecond World War, connections between the United States and the United Kingdom in the radio industry were virtually unheard of. Radio in the UK was not influenced by the US, due to the vast distance, and the only regular services that were heard were the BBC and the"pirate" stationRadio Luxembourg. When the Americans joined the war as part of theAllies, some soldiers were billeted in the UK, in the BBC provided programming for these people. So theForces Programme, broadcast many popular American variety shows such asCharlie McCarthy,The Bob Hope Show, andThe Jack Benny Program. As the Forces Programme, and the subsequentGeneral Forces Programme, was easily available for civilians, they were also heard by domestic audiences. After the War in 1946 on theHome Service, the BBC started to broadcast the factual programmeLetter from America, which was presented byAlistair Cooke, bringing information about the States to British audiences until Cooke died in 2004. It was one of the BBC's longest-running radio programmes, broadcasting on the Home Service, and continuingBBC Radio 4. It was also relayed on the BBC World Service. The programme itself was based on a similar programme by Alistair Cooke in the 1930s for American listeners about life in the UK on theNBC Red Network. After Letter from America, the BBC continued with a factual programme about the States inAmericana from 2009 to 2011, presented by the resident American correspondent.
As of 2019, the BBC co-produced withPublic Radio International andWGBH Boston, a weekly factual programme calledThe World, which is broadcast on various American public radio stations. Parts of the show are put together for a shorter programme calledBoston Calling, which is available on Radio 4 and the domestic feed of the World Service.[242] There have been attempts in the past to bring British formats to American audiences, such asthe News Quiz USA.[243] From 2005 to 2011, a time-shifted version ofBBC Radio 1 was available on Sirius satellite radio.[244] While in the UK,A Prairie Home Companion (called Garrison Keillor's Radio Show) was available weekly from 2002 onBBC7 to 2016, on BBC Radio 4 Extra.[245] There have been several American personalities that have been on British airwaves, including music journalistPaul Gambaccini, disc jockeySuzi Quattro, and comediansRich Hall andGreg Proops. While New Zealand-born disc jockeyZane Lowe, who spent much of his career in the UK, was recruited toApple'sBeats 1 station in the United States.
American artists, includingWhitney Houston,Madonna,Tina Turner,Cher,Michael Jackson,Janet Jackson,Mariah Carey,Bing Crosby,Elvis Presley,Bob Dylan,Jimi Hendrix,Guns N' Roses,Stevie Wonder,Marvin Gaye,Diana Ross,Britney Spears,Christina Aguilera,Frank Sinatra,Lady Gaga,Taylor Swift, andBeyoncé, are popular in the United Kingdom. British artists, includingThe Beatles,Led Zeppelin,The Rolling Stones,Sting,The Who,Susan Boyle,Black Sabbath,Queen,Shirley Bassey,Tom Jones,David Bowie,Phil Collins,Pink Floyd,Rod Stewart, theSpice Girls, theBee Gees,Katherine Jenkins,KT Tunstall,Joss Stone,Leona Lewis,Elton John,Coldplay, andAdele have achieved success in the large American market.
In the United Kingdom, manyHollywood films as well as Broadway musicals are closely associated and identified with the musical scores and soundtracks created by famous American composers such asGeorge Gershwin,Rodgers and Hammerstein,Henry Mancini,John Williams,Alan Silvestri,Danny Elfman,Jerry Goldsmith, andJames Horner. TheCeltic music of the United Kingdom has had a dynamic effect upon American music.[246] In particular, thetraditional music of the Southern United States is descended from traditional Celtic music andEnglish folk music of the colonial period, and the musical traditions of the South eventually gave rise tocountry music and, to a lesser extent,American folk.[247] The birth ofjazz,swing,big band, and especiallyrock and roll, all developed and originating in the United States, had greatly influenced the later development of rock music in the United Kingdom, particularly British rock bands such asThe Beatles andHerman's Hermits,The Rolling Stones, while its American precursor, theblues, greatly influenced British electric rock.[248]
Despite sports being a major cultural interest in both the United States and the United Kingdom, there is little overlap in their most popular sports. The most popular team sports in the UK arefootball (soccer),rugby union,rugby league andcricket, while the most popular sports in the US are[American] football,baseball,ice hockey andbasketball. The most popular sports in each country are considered minor sports in the other, with growing interest. Both nations are among the strongest in the world in all-time sporting success, with the United States being the most successful sports nation in the world.
TheUnited States men's team has played multiplefriendlies against theirHome Nations counterparts. Being members of separateconfederations with the Home Nations being part ofUEFA and the US being part ofCONCACAF, their only chance to play competitive games is duringFIFA tournaments. The United States andEngland have played thrice at theFIFA World Cup — in1950,2010 and2022 — and remain unbeaten. The United States'1–0 victory over England in 1950 is considered to be one of the biggestupsets in World Cup history.[249][250][251] The other two games have both ended in draws; 1–1 in 2010[252] and 0–0 in 2022.[253] Additionally, the two have played in nine friendlies, with England winning eight and the United States one.[254]
The United States andWales have played once at the World Cup — in2022 — in addition to two friendlies. The game ended in a 1–1 draw.[255] The United States have yet to play competitive matches againstScotland andNorthern Ireland.[256][257]
ThePremier League has seen many American players since its inception in 1992. Some of the prominent ones includeTim Howard,Christian Pulisic,Clint Dempsey andLandon Donovan.[258] Similarly, theMajor League Soccer has seen English players, includingDavid Beckham,Frank Lampard andSteven Gerrard.[259]
Gridiron football, which is known in the United Kingdom as American football, originated from two British sports, association football and rugby union football. It came about in the later part of the 19th century due to the development into a separate code, and led to becoming a separate sport from the other codes of football. Gridiron was in the past only known and played in UK by visiting American servicemen; firstly in 1910, by navy crews fromUSS Georgia,USS Idaho andUSS Vermont, and then in the Second World War by UK-based service personnel. (The other gridiron code,Canadian football, is hardly known in the UK.)
AfterChannel 4 started showing the highlights of the AmericanNFL in 1982, the sport became acknowledged by the British sporting world. Due to the Britons' unfamiliarity with American football, television guides and newspapers had printed articles explaining it.[260] A year later, the first match between two British teams the London Ravens and theNorthwich Spartans was played; the Ravens won. Later in the 1980s, the sport grew and rival teams started to play, which was helped by support from various American players, coaches, and sponsors likeCoca-Cola andBudweiser.[261] In 1986, theAmerican Bowl was the first preseason NFL game to be played at the originalWembley Stadium, between theChicago Bears and theDallas Cowboys.[262] By the early 1990s, due in part to the recession, Channel 4 ceased regular broadcasts of the NFL, but theSuper Bowl has continued to be broadcast regularly on British television. The NFL has been broadcast by other British networks, includingITV,Channel 5,ESPN UK,British Eurosport, andSky Sports.
In 2007, the NFL returned to Wembley with a regular season game between theMiami Dolphins and theNew York Giants.[263][264] Since then, the NFL has heldadditional games at Wembley and at other British stadiums. The NFL is considering sitinga team in London permanently,[265] with theJacksonville Jaguars being the most likely team to relocate to the city.[266] Noted British NFL players active during the2019 season areCarolina Panthersdefensive end, Nigerian-bornEfe Obada andAtlanta Falconstight end,Alex Grey.[citation needed]
The first recorded writings aboutbaseball came in the mid-18th century when a version of the sport played indoors in 1748 in London, where it was played by then Prince of Wales,George III,[267] and played outside in 1755 in the southern English town ofGuildford.[268] It was later brought over to the United States by British immigrants, where it developed in the modern version of the sport in the early 19th century in the creation and fountain of the modern baseball rule book, theKnickerbocker Rules in 1845. Eventually, it suppressed the popularity of the other notableball-and-bat sport, which was played in the US at the time, which wascricket, by the end of the 19th century.
Sheffield-bornHarry Wright was instrumental in the development of professional baseball in the United States, and he brought his touring team to Britain to promote the sport. Later, at the end of the 19th centuryFrancis Ley, aDerby man claimed erroneously to have had 'discovered' the game on a trip to theUnited States, andAlbert Goodwill Spalding, an American former star player and sporting goods businessman who saw opportunities to expand his business across the Atlantic, funded a second tour to the United Kingdom (Spalding had earlier toured under Wright's leadership). This continued with the establishment of the1890 National League of Baseball of Great Britain, the first professional league in Britain. Baseball clubs were formed from well-knownassociation football clubsAston Villa,Stoke City, andPreston North End, who were joined by Ley's ownDerby Baseball Club. DuringWorld War I, visiting U.S. service personnel from theU.S. Army andNavy played ademonstration game atChelsea'sStamford Bridge in 1918. A crowd of 38,000 people, including KingGeorge V, attended. This led to a growing interest in the game across the Atlantic, and baseball teams were created during the inter-war period. This led to a peak in 1938 when there was a victory byGreat Britain over theUnited States in the1938 Amateur World Series which was held in England, which is considered the firstWorld Cup of Baseball.[citation needed]
The popularity of baseball in the United Kingdom diminished during and after the Second World War; today, baseball is not widely played among Britons. Notwithstanding,Major League Baseball coverage is available to watch in the United Kingdom on theTNT Sports 4 channel, formerlyBT Sport.[269] In 2018,Major League Baseball announced a two-year deal to start theMLB London Series, a series of regular-season games atLondon Stadium.[270] The2019 series was contested between tworival teams, theNew York Yankees and theBoston Red Sox. These games were broadcast on both BT Sport and theBBC.[271] The 2020 series between theSt. Louis Cardinals and theChicago Cubs were cancelled due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[272] TheCardinals–Cubs rivalry series was played in London in 2023, as part of an extended agreement to resume the London Series.[273]
John Spinks, leader of the English rock bandThe Outfield, originally named the band "The Baseball Boys", in a reference to a gang in the filmThe Warriors. The band members said in 1986 that none of them were knowledgeable about baseball, but they were curious about the sport.[274]
Cricket was one of the major sports in the United States during its time as a British colony and for about a century afterward. Its major decline began with the 1860s Civil War, as it could not compete with the far shorter playing duration of baseball, among other factors. In the 21st century,immigration from cricket-playing countries and the spread of the shortenedT20 format have contributed to a minor revival of the game.[275]
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Britain should take a much more robust and independent approach to the United States, according to a Guardian/ICM poll published today, which finds strong public opposition to Tony Blair's close working relationship with President Bush.
Over the seven decades of her reign, she...met with 13 of the 14 presidents...starting with President Harry Truman. The odd one out was Lyndon Johnson, who was prohibited by his physicians from traveling to Britain for the funeral of Winston Churchill in 1965, when he would undoubtedly have met the queen.
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