Trump touches down in UK for state visit amid fallout over Mandelson sacking

LAST UPDATE | 8 hrs ago

DONALD TRUMP HAS touched down in the UK for a State visit which will likely be dominated by questions relating to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.

The US President and first lady Melania Trump arrived on Air Force One at London Stansted airport shortly after 9pm. 

He will stay at the US ambassador’s residence in London overnight before travelling to Windsor Castle on Wednesday, where he will be hosted by King Charles and treated to a ceremonial welcome and a lavish state banquet.

William and Kate meanwhile will also play a key role in entertaining Trump, who is known for his love of the British royal family.

They will meet the Trumps in the grounds of the Windsor estate tomorrow and escort them a short distance to see Charles and Camilla for an open air greeting nearby.

Trump hinted at possible tariff relief for UK steel ahead of talks with Keir Starmer at the Prime Minister’s country residence, Chequers, on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters on Air Force One ahead of landing, Trump said: “My relationship is very good with the UK, and Charles, as you know, who’s now King, is my friend.

“It’s the first time this has ever happened where somebody was honoured twice. So, it’s a great honour.”

He added: “I’m there also on trade. They want to see if they can refine the trade deal a little bit. We’ve made a deal, and it’s a great deal, and I’m into helping them.”

During a visit to the White House in February, Starmer produced what the UK media described as a “Trump card” when he delivered an invitation for a state visit from Britain’s King Charles.

There will be no public-facing engagements for Trump during the two-day state visit, with thousands expected to take part in major protests.

A small protest organised by the Stop Trump Coalition took place on Windsor High Street this evening, while thousands are set to attend a rally in central London tomorrow.

Socialist Students, a student activist group, said it has organised 30 local protests around the country on Wednesday.

Adam Gillman, a national organiser for Socialist Students, told the PA news agency around 200 students have signed up to organise walkouts locally.

“I don’t know the exact number, but I would say we would see a lot of students walking out tomorrow. It could be hundreds, it could be thousands of students walking out and that would have a big effect,” he said. 

Meanwhile, Channel 4 will air a night of programming focusing on Trump’s untruths, including 100 falsehoods, distortions and inaccuracies either written or said by the president during his time in office.

Peter Mandelson

The trip will be notable for the absence of former US ambassador Peter Mandelson, who was sacked last week after emails were published showing that Mandelson sent supportive messages to Epstein, even as he faced jail for sex offences.

Emails published by Bloomberg last week included passages in which Mandelson told Epstein to “fight for early release” shortly before he was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

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He is also reported to have told Epstein, “I think the world of you”, the day before the disgraced financier began his sentence for soliciting prostitution from a minor in June 2008.

A day before he was sacked, Starmer had backed Mandelson at Prime Minister’s Questions.

Starmer has faced questions about his judgment in appointing Mandelson in the first place, given that Mandelson’s friendship with Epstein was public knowledge.

Asked whether he was angry with Mandelson, Starmer told Channel 4 News: “I’m angry to have been put in that position.”

He added: “In retrospect, of course I think it would be better if the detailed allegations that have been made in relation to Peter had been put in front of me before PMQs.

“But the team was trying to get answers out of him in relation to those questions and that was the right thing to do.”

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch today said Starmer should face “serious consequences” if he has not been honest about what he knew regarding Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein.

Her comments came ahead of a three-hour emergency debate in the Commons, in which MPs will look at what Starmer knew about Mandelson’s friendship with Epstein.

Epstein’s birthday book

Trump also continues to face questions over his relationship to Epstein – a tranche of documents recently released by US legislators included an alleged letter from the president to Epstein to celebrate his 50th birthday.

The White House initially said the letter didn’t exist and has continued to deny that it is authentic.

Meanwhile, additional flourishes have been added to the regular state visit programme in honour of Trump.

He will be given a flypast by the Red Arrows and UK and US F-35 military jets on the east lawn at Windsor Castle tomorrow afternoon, after watching a special Beating Retreat military spectacle never before staged for an incoming state visit.

The president will also visit the tomb of Queen Elizabeth II in St George’s Chapel, Windsor, to privately lay a wreath and pay his respects.

It’s also been suggested that Starmer may use the state visit to convince Trump that the US should heap further sanctions on Russia, as European powers scramble to help Ukraine.

The American leader has held off on imposing sanctions on Moscow, but has said he is ready to do so once other Nato countries stop buying Russian oil.

The trip is Trump’s second state visit to the UK – an unprecedented gesture for a US president – with his last one six years ago in 2019 seeing thousands of people turn out on the streets in London in opposition and a 20 foot Trump baby blimp take to the skies.

With additional reporting from Diarmuid Pepper and Press Association