LONDON — President Donald Trump traded pageantry for politics Thursday as he ended a lavish keep hosted by Britain’s King Charles III at Windsor Citadel and met with Prime Minister Keir Starmer at his nation residence, Chequers.
Trump praised the “bond of kinship and identification between America and the UK” as “priceless and everlasting” throughout an opulent banquet in Windsor, the place Britain’s royals pulled out all of the stops to impress their visitor of honor on his unprecedented second state go to.
However chilly geopolitical actuality could set in as he sits down with Starmer, adopted by a joint information convention that might check these heat sentiments with a variety of thorny points prone to be raised.
Starmer has lavished Trump with reward and royal pomp in a bid to curry favor with Washington as Britain appears to deepen its financial ties with the U.S., ease tariffs and maintain troublesome conversations on Israel’s offensive in Gaza and Russia’s warfare in Ukraine.
The pair are anticipated to signal a multibillion-dollar “tech prosperity deal” that British officers hope will deliver hundreds of jobs and sweeping funding to the U.Okay.
“Our nations have the closest protection, safety and intelligence relationship ever recognized,” Charles mentioned in his speech addressing Trump after rolling out the royal crimson carpet. “In two World Wars, we fought collectively to defeat the forces of tyranny. At the moment, as tyranny as soon as once more threatens Europe, we and our allies stand collectively in help of Ukraine, to discourage aggression and safe peace.”
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked the king early Thursday “for his steadfast help,” with sanctions on Russia and safety ensures for Kyiv continued sticking factors between Washington, London and different European powers.
The British authorities has in the meantime been more and more vital of Israel’s lethal offensive in Gaza, together with its new assault on famine-stricken Gaza Metropolis. The U.Okay. is quickly anticipated to hitch a lot of nations in recognizing Palestinian statehood, a transfer that has outraged Israeli officers.
There may be tough questions in regards to the febrile environment every chief is coping with at dwelling. Trump arrived in Britain within the wake of Charlie Kirk’s deadly taking pictures, whereas his host has been beset by far-right protests, sinking ballot rankings and a latest scandal that might see Jeffrey Epstein cling over Thursday’s diplomatic occasions.
Even at Windsor Citadel, protesters projected photographs of Trump alongside Epstein in an act of protest that noticed 4 individuals arrested.
The assembly with Starmer additionally comes days after Britain’s ambassador to the U.S., Peter Mandelson, was fired following revelations about his personal ties to Epstein.
And on the streets of London hundreds attended a protest march that culminated with a rally exterior Parliament.
In latest polling highlighting British sentiments towards the president, 70% of Britons mentioned they disliked Trump and 44% mentioned they thought his state go to must be canceled.
With Trump steered away from Britain’s capital, the president is anticipated to be welcomed on Thursday at Starmer’s nation home by a ceremonial honor guard, with bagpipers paying homage to Trump’s Scottish heritage, based on The Related Press.
The president can be anticipated to be proven gadgets from the archive of Winston Churchill, who coined the time period “particular relationship,” which has lengthy been used to explain the bond, nonetheless fraught at instances, between the U.S. and the U.Okay.
Reuters and The Related Press contributed.
