Major economic announcements during Trump’s visit to the UK

Thursday 18 September 2025 - 13:00

By: Sahili Aya

Major economic announcements during Trump’s visit to the UK

During U.S. President Donald Trump’s state visit to the United Kingdom, British and American companies unveiled investment projects worth hundreds of billions across both sides of the Atlantic. London cited a total of £150 billion (€173 billion) in funds and commitments, a figure Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government hopes will boost confidence amid political and economic challenges.

Tech sector at the forefront

Microsoft pledged $30 billion over four years, half of which will go into cloud computing and artificial intelligence, including the construction of the country’s largest supercomputer. Google committed £5 billion (€5.8 billion) to a new data center and research initiatives, particularly through its DeepMind AI unit.

OpenAI, Nvidia, and the British firm Nscale announced a large-scale AI infrastructure program in northeast England under the global “Stargate” initiative, already present in Texas, the UAE, and Norway. The UK government plans to formalize these commitments in a new “technology agreement” with Washington, though details remain vague.

Nuclear cooperation

Both governments promised to streamline approval processes for nuclear projects and expand joint research into fusion energy.

Blackstone’s long-term promise

The U.S. investment giant Blackstone announced plans to channel £90 billion (€104 billion) into the UK over the next decade, although analysts note that such commitments are spread over many years and lack sector-specific details.

Boosting purchases from the U.S.

London pledged to increase annual government spending on U.S. companies from £10 billion to £12 billion over five years, mostly in defense and technology.

Pharma industry pressures

British pharmaceutical group GSK pledged $30 billion (€25 billion) in investments in the United States over five years, a move seen as part of Trump’s push to encourage foreign firms to expand production on U.S. soil. Analysts, however, note that some of these funds were already earmarked for the American market.

While the announcements highlight closer UK-U.S. economic ties, critics argue that the UK risks becoming increasingly dependent on American corporate strategies.