EFFORTS to "undo" the Northern Ireland Protocol by the British government could impact the chances of a new US-UK trade deal being agreed, the White House has warned.
Speaking ahead of a call between new UK prime minister Liz Truss and US president Joe Biden, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre implied changes to the protocol could present a hurdle in agreeing a new trade deal, due to the president's commitment to upholding the Good Friday Agreement.
In a press briefing, Ms Jean-Pierre said there was "no formal linkage on trade talks between the US and the UK and the NI Protocol".
However, she added that "efforts to undo the NI Protocol would not create a conducive environment" to trade discussions.
The press secretary had earlier in the week said Washington's "priority remains...preserving peace, stability, and prosperity for the people of Northern Ireland".
Following the call between the two leaders, a White House spokesperson said they "shared commitment to protecting the gains of the Belfast Good Friday Agreement and the importance of reaching a negotiated agreement with the European Union on the Northern Ireland Protocol".
The prime minister has said she favours a negotiated settlement with the EU over the protocol, which was agreed in the 2019 Brexit Withdrawal Agreement and effectively keeps the north in the EU's single market for goods.
She is facing continued pressure to scrap the protocol by the DUP, which is refusing to nominate ministers to a new Stormont Executive until the Irish Sea border is removed.
A bill to over-ride parts of the protocol was tabled by Ms Truss earlier this year in her former role as UK foreign secretary, and is continuing to make its way through Westminster.
A Downing Street spokesperson said Ms Truss and Mr Biden "discussed a range of domestic issues and agreed on the importance of protecting the Belfast (Good Friday) Agreement".
