Trump arrives in UK for unprecedented second state visit
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LONDON: US President Donald Trump hailed the special relationship with Britain on Wednesday (Sep 17) as he paid tribute to King Charles during his historic second state visit, calling it one of the highest honours of his life.
It was a day of unprecedented pomp for a foreign leader, with Trump and First Lady Melania treated to the full array of British pageantry before the president sang the praises of his nation’s close ally.
"The bond of kinship and identity between America and the United Kingdom is priceless and eternal. It's irreplaceable and unbreakable," Trump said in a speech at a lavish banquet at Windsor Castle. "This is truly one of the highest honours of my life."
"A lot of things here warm my heart," the 79-year-old Republican told reporters after landing with First Lady Melania Trump. "It's a very special place."
Trump will be hosted by King Charles III at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, where he will be treated to a carriage ride and a lavish banquet, before meeting Prime Minister Keir Starmer at his Chequers country residence on Thursday.
A guard of honour greeted the Trumps as they stepped off Air Force One at Stansted Airport near London, while Trump later spoke admiringly of the monarch.
"He's been a friend of mine for a long time, and everyone respects him, and they love him," Trump said on arrival at Winfield House, the US ambassador’s residence in London. "Tomorrow's going to be a very big day."
UK LOOKING TO USE ROYAL AFFECTION
Over the course of the visit, Britain is hoping to turn Trump’s affection for the UK, his mother came from Scotland, and admiration for the royals into concrete results.
Companies including Microsoft, Nvidia, Google and OpenAI have pledged £31 billion (US$42 billion) in investment over the next few years, in areas such as AI, quantum computing and civil nuclear energy.
Starmer also wants further progress on trade, after Britain secured its first tariff-cutting deal with Trump earlier this year. Talks may touch on remaining levies on steel, whisky and salmon.
"The United Kingdom was your partner in the first trade deal of your administration, Mr President, bringing jobs and growth to both our countries," King Charles said in his speech. "And no doubt we can go even further as we build this new era of our partnership."
HEAVY SECURITY AND PROTESTS
Trump is the first US president invited for two state visits, after previously being hosted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2019.
But the British public will be kept at a distance, with events staged behind closed doors and under heavy security.
A large anti-Trump protest has been called in London on Wednesday. On Tuesday night, demonstrators projected images of Trump and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein onto Windsor Castle.
The Epstein scandal has dogged Trump in recent weeks and also entangled Starmer, who dismissed his ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, over emails with Epstein just before the visit.
Despite the controversy, Starmer’s government is betting that the scale of the state visit will win Trump’s favour, despite his unpredictable stances on tariffs, Ukraine and Gaza.
POMP AND POLITICS
In Windsor, Trump will be feted with military pageantry, including a flypast by UK and US jets in what officials call the largest display for a state visit in decades.
In the evening, King Charles will host a state banquet where both leaders will deliver speeches.
On Thursday, Starmer will host Trump at Chequers to focus on trade and global conflicts. The visit coincides with announcements of new investment in Britain, including Microsoft pledging US$30 billion over four years and Google investing £5 billion (US$6.8 billion).
Trump also found time for a private meeting with Prince William and his wife Kate, which was described by the heir’s spokesperson as “warm and friendly.” The president later praised “beautiful” Kate and said William was “going to have unbelievable success in the future.”
STARMER’S DOMESTIC TROUBLES
The visit offers Starmer a chance to shift attention from domestic woes after a turbulent period that has raised questions about his leadership. He was forced to dismiss both his deputy and his US ambassador within days of each other, fuelling doubts within his Labour Party.
Downing Street has described the state visit as an opportunity to take the “unbreakable friendship” between the two countries “to new heights”.
"This is a huge moment for both," said Evie Aspinall, director of the British Foreign Policy Group think-tank.
"For Trump, the state visit is an opportunity to revel in the pomp and ceremony he loves. For Starmer, the visit is a chance to distract from domestic discontent and shift the limelight onto international issues where he has had greater success."
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