President Trump concluded his state visit to Britain with a pivotal meeting with Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday. This diplomatic encounter was expected to culminate in the announcement of significant business deals between American and British companies, following a day characterized by elaborate royal pageantry. The meticulously organized trip offered Mr. Trump a temporary reprieve from domestic political pressures, largely sidestepping overt political disagreements and contentious issues like trade and the ongoing conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. However, these sensitive topics were anticipated to be raised by Mr. Starmer during their discussions, with both leaders potentially facing questions at a joint news conference that afternoon.
The diplomatic portion of the visit was preceded by a day filled with ceremonial grandeur, notably a white-tie dinner at Windsor Castle. There, President Trump lavished praise upon the British royal family, dining alongside White House aides, U.S. cabinet secretaries, and American business moguls, who mingled with their British counterparts and members of the aristocracy. This opulent setting clearly resonated with a president known for appreciating such displays. As Mr. Trump departed Windsor Castle for Chequers, the Prime Minister’s country residence, he expressed his admiration for King Charles III, calling him ‘a great gentleman and a great king.’
While President Trump engaged in political discussions, First Lady Melania Trump embarked on her own schedule of engagements. She toured the Royal Library at Windsor Castle with Queen Camilla, where they observed schoolchildren illustrating miniature books and viewed historical treasures, including Leonardo da Vinci’s drawings and Queen Elizabeth I’s childhood writings. Later, Mrs. Trump joined Catherine, Princess of Wales, at Frogmore Gardens to meet young members of Britain’s Scouts Association, participating in activities like making leaf collages and building insect hotels. Fashion-wise, Mrs. Trump wore an all-leather caramel Louis Vuitton suit with snakeskin pumps for her meeting with Queen Camilla, later changing into a more casual suede Ralph Lauren safari jacket and Loro Piana trousers for the garden tour – notably, both Louis Vuitton and Loro Piana are brands owned by LVMH, a conglomerate whose owner attended Trump’s inauguration.
Key takeaways from the visit included:
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Investments:
In conjunction with Mr. Trump’s visit, major American companies such as Microsoft, OpenAI, and Blackstone pledged over $200 billion (£150 billion) in investments in Britain over the next decade. Reciprocally, British firms, including pharmaceutical giant GSK, committed to investing in the United States, and the British government indicated increased procurement from American companies. While such pledges are common during high-profile diplomatic events and often reflect existing investment trajectories, the British government views these commitments as a vital boost to economic growth amidst challenges like a 3.8% inflation rate in August and anticipated tax increases. Despite these positive announcements, efforts to secure tariff concessions from the Trump administration on British products like steel and Scotch whisky have yet to yield results, leaving some trade uncertainties. These U.S. investments are thus seen as crucial in mitigating current economic pressures.
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Nuclear Energy:
Despite stark divergences on most climate and energy policies, President Trump and Prime Minister Starmer found common ground in their support for nuclear energy. While Trump’s administration withdrew from the Paris Agreement and championed coal, and Starmer’s government committed to an ambitious 81% reduction in climate pollution by 2035 and a transition to primarily renewable electricity by 2030 (Britain closed its last coal plant last year), both leaders enthusiastically endorsed nuclear power. They struck a deal to expand nuclear plants in Britain, with Starmer promising fast-tracked reviews and Trump issuing executive orders to accelerate reactor approvals in the U.S. Both leaders framed this collaboration as ushering in a ‘golden age’ or ‘nuclear renaissance,’ acknowledging nuclear energy’s zero greenhouse gas emissions despite concerns about safety and waste disposal.
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Palestinian Statehood:
Following President Trump’s departure, Prime Minister Starmer is expected to formally confirm Britain’s recognition of a Palestinian state at the upcoming United Nations General Assembly. This anticipated move, conditionally announced by Starmer in July, highlights a policy divergence from the United States, as President Trump opposes recognizing a Palestinian state. Despite this, the two leaders have maintained a ‘warm relationship.’ Trump has publicly remained neutral on Starmer’s stance, emphasizing his focus on humanitarian aid. However, Vice President JD Vance was more forthright, expressing opposition to Palestinian statehood during an August visit to Britain, citing the lack of a ‘functional government.’ Starmer’s decision is also significantly influenced by mounting domestic pressure within his Labour Party and broader British public sentiment, fueled by the escalating humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Britain joins France, Canada, and Malta in this diplomatic step, with Starmer, a former human rights lawyer, finding the situation ‘simply intolerable’ and the prospect of a two-state solution increasingly distant.
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Free Speech Controversy:
A notable irony of the visit was President Trump’s reaction to a free speech issue. Having previously criticized the U.K. for its ‘sad’ and ‘not a good thing’ crackdown on political expression following the arrest of an Irish comedian for anti-transgender posts, Trump subsequently celebrated the suspension of American comedian Jimmy Kimmel. The ABC network indefinitely suspended Kimmel after remarks he made regarding the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, where Kimmel criticized attempts to politicize Kirk’s death. Trump reacted on Truth Social with ‘Great News for America: The ratings challenged Jimmy Kimmel Show is CANCELLED,’ without any of his prior concerns for free speech. This suspension followed threats from FCC chairman Brendan Carr, underscoring a double standard in the Trump administration’s approach to free speech: condemning perceived restrictions abroad while initiating similar actions against critics at home.
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Protests:
In contrast to the formal receptions, thousands of protesters took to the streets of central London on Wednesday to demonstrate against President Trump’s visit. This public display of dissent provided a striking backdrop to his red-carpet welcome by royalty and political leaders, underscoring the divided public opinion surrounding his presence in Britain.