Between 2017 and 2021, Donald Trump had the world on a precipice, bracing for his next move, gaming out whether his bluster was a bluff, an overture to a deal or a break with history, as he sowed mayhem to push adversaries off balance.

The president-elect’s threat to hit Canada, Mexico and China with new tariffs is already rocking business and diplomatic relationships and could topple the trade pacts he signed in his first term.

Britain will aim to convince Donald Trump its services-dominated trade with the United States should escape the worst of tariffs even as it cautiously repairs ties with the European Union and nurtures commercial links with China.