A claim circulating widely on social media alleges that President Trump reached a deal with Rolls-Royce to move a $1.6 trillion jet engine project and 40,000 jobs from the United Kingdom to the United States. However, after reviewing official statements and credible reporting, we found this claim to be false.
Social Media Posts
Posts circulating on multiple social media platforms states: “President Trump has reached a deal with Rolls-Royce to move its $1.6 trillion jet engine project and 40,000 jobs from the U.K. to the U.S.”, leading to widespread confusion and speculation.
Fact Check
Direct Denial From Rolls-Royce
Rolls-Royce has denied the claim that it has struck any deal with President Trump to relocate its jet-engine operations or jobs to the United States.
In a statement reported by Yahoo News UK, a company spokesperson said: “There is no truth in the rumour circulating on social media.”
Local U.K. media covering Rolls-Royce’s Derby operations also reported that the company firmly rejected the suggestion that its Derby-based jet-engine business and tens of thousands of jobs were moving to the U.S. under any agreement with Trump.
The £1.6 trillion figure often mentioned in these claims does not represent a single factory or contract being moved. Rather, it reflects the projected total market value over several decades of a future jet-engine program that Rolls-Royce is still evaluating.
Rolls-Royce has been exploring options for where to develop this next-generation engine program, and has indicated that factors like government incentives, energy costs, and industrial policy will influence its decision. These discussions concern a future program that has not yet been launched, not an existing engine line or a confirmed relocation of current U.K. operations. (Source)
No Confirmed Relocation of 40,000 Jobs
The claim that 40,000 jobs are being moved from the U.K. to the U.S. is not supported by any credible evidence.
While some commentators and political figures have framed Rolls-Royce’s discussions with governments as an “ultimatum,” reputable business and aviation outlets consistently describe the situation as exploratory talks, not a concluded decision.
Importantly, Rolls-Royce has not announced any plan to move its existing Derby operations or to transfer tens of thousands of current U.K. jobs abroad. The company has also declined to comment publicly on speculative reports about where a future program might be based, beyond denying the Trump deal rumor. (Source)
Role of U.S. Tariffs and Trade Context
Some posts have linked the rumor to U.S. trade policy under Trump, particularly tariffs imposed in early 2025. At that time, Rolls-Royce acknowledged tariff uncertainty and indicated it was reviewing supply-chain options, including its existing U.S. manufacturing footprint.
Reuters reported that Rolls-Royce engines and key aerospace parts were later exempted from U.S. tariffs under a U.S.-U.K. trade agreement, which eased pressure on the company’s exports and stabilized its operations.
According to Bloomberg, Rolls-Royce employs around 6,000 workers in the United States. However, available evidence does not indicate that tariffs or trade negotiations resulted in a confirmed deal to relocate the £1.6 trillion future engine program or 40,000 jobs from the U.K.
Conclusion
The claim that President Trump reached a deal with Rolls-Royce to move a $1.6 trillion jet engine project and 40,000 jobs from the U.K. to the U.S. is false. Rolls-Royce has explicitly denied any such agreement, stating there is “no truth in the rumour circulating on social media.” While the company is exploring options for a future engine program, no decision has been made, and no existing operations or jobs are being relocated.
