Donald Trump has claimed he banned Sir Sadiq Khan from attending events put on for his second state visit to Britain.
The president said the London Mayor had “wanted to be there”, but he had personally demanded he be sidelined.
The snub is the latest broadside in the war of words between the two men that dates back to 2017, when the president criticised the mayor’s response to the London Bridge terror attack.
On the eve of Mr Trump’s return to the White House in January, Sir Sadiq warned of “resurgent fascism” and echoes of 1930s Germany.
The president responded in July while staying at his Turnberry golf course in Scotland, by branding the Mayor a “nasty person” who was doing a “terrible job”.
Mr Trump has now told reporters on board Air Force One that he personally requested Sir Sadiq have no involvement with his visit to Britain.
“He wanted to be there, as I understand it. I didn’t want him,” the president said, according to CNN, adding: “I didn’t want him there. I asked that he not be there.
“I think the mayor of London, Khan, is among the worst mayors in the world and we have some bad ones. I think he’s done a terrible job.”
Before Mr Trump had touched down at Stansted Airport on Tuesday, Sir Sadiq had penned a fresh attack against the president.
The Labour Mayor accused the Republican of fuelling “divisive, far-Right politics around the world”.
He wrote in the Guardian: “Scapegoating minorities, illegally deporting US citizens, deploying the military to the streets of diverse cities. These actions aren’t just inconsistent with Western values – they’re straight out of the autocrat’s playbook.”
Thank you for following our live coverage of Donald Trump’s second state visit.
Rachel Reeves has crowned the UK the best place to invest outside of the US.
The Chancellor told business leaders that signing a trade with the US had made Britain a more attractive option for investors.
She said: “The president wanted the first deal to be with the UK and we wanted to be the country who got that first deal because it signifies our special relationship but also because we knew we had so much to gain from that.
“We were absolutely right because that investment we secured and announced today would not have been possible without that trade deal.
“What that trade deal says is that Britain is the best place in the world outside of the United States to put investments because from the UK you can now export at a preferential rate to the US and around the world.”
Ms Reeves added that almost £300bn investment between the countries announced during the state visit was “only the beginning”.
Rachel Reeves said Britain’s rolling out of the red carpet had impressed the president.
Addressing a business reception at Lancaster House in central London, the Chancellor said: “The pageantry yesterday, I think President Trump said he had seen every picture, every monument he could possibly see when we were at lunch time today.
“But we wanted to show off everything our great country has to offer.”
Ms Reeves said the president had remarked on the table at the state banquet being the longest he had ever seen.
“Trump said the word special underplayed the significance of our relationship and I certainly feel after the last two days that that is true,” she added.
Donald Trump recorded an interview with Fox News before he left Chequers.
The interview will air at 8pm UK time tonight.
Camilla Tominey and Rob Crilly have given their thoughts on the press conference in which Donald Trump urged the Prime Minister to ‘drill, baby, drill’ in the North Sea to cut energy bills and use the military to stop the boats.
Tim Stanley has also given his thoughts on US television host Jimmy Kimmel’s cancellation and the double standards of free speech in America.
The president and first lady have boarded Air Force One.
Donald Trump turned and raised a clenched fist before leaving for the US.
Emily Thornberry has said Donald Trump’s second state visit could not have gone any better.
The Labour MP, who chairs the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, said “the vibes were very good” at Chequers.
She told BBC Radio 4: “I think it couldn’t have gone any better, the vibes were very good, there is huge amounts of money coming into Britain.
“There has also been a deal for there to be investment both ways as America is our second biggest trading partner.”
The former shadow attorney general said the relationship between Mr Trump and Sir Keir Starmer “seems to be pretty strong”.
Donald Trump suggested the US would try to reclaim the Bagram airbase in Afghanistan from the Taliban.
At the joint press conference with Sir Keir Starmer in Chequers, he said the airfield, which was the largest of its kind operated by the US military during the Afghanistan war, had been “given away for nothing” by his predecessor Joe Biden.
He said: “We’re trying to get it back, by the way, that could be a little breaking news.
“We’re trying to get it back, because they need things from us. We want that base back, but one of the reasons we want the base is, as you know, it’s an hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons.”
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The president and first lady have left Chequers.
Donald Trump briefly raised a clenched fist as he stood at the door of Chequers alongside Sir Keir Starmer and their wives, Melania and Victoria, while two RAF pipers played Scotland The Brave.
He then shook hands with the Prime Minister before boarding the Marine One helicopter which will take them to Stansted Airport.
The couple will then board Air Force One and return to the US.
Donald Trump dismissed wind farms as an “expensive joke”, labelling the source of energy a “disaster”.
The president instead urged Sir Keir Starmer to “drill, baby, drill” and exploit the “great asset” of North Sea oil and gas.
The Government has ruled out new oil and gas licences in the North Sea, focusing on renewables and new nuclear power stations to keep the nation’s lights on.
At a joint press conference in Chequers, Mr Trump said: “We had the worst inflation in the history of our country and we had an expression that I used a lot: drill, baby, drill.
“And as you know, we brought fuel way down. The price is way down. And we don’t do wind because wind is a disaster. It’s a very expensive joke, frankly, and we got our energy prices way down.
“That brought the inflation way down and now we have very little inflation and we have a very, very strong economy.
“So that was very important. Drill, baby, drill. And you have a great asset here… it’s called the North Sea. The North Sea oil is phenomenal.”
Sir Keir told reporters he was “absolutely determined to ensure that the price and cost of energy comes down” for households and businesses but insisted that a “pragmatic approach” must be taken.
The press conference was utterly fascinating, less for what was said but for how it was said, and above for what was not said.
President Donald Trump urged the Prime Minister to use the military to stop the small boats coming to the UK with illegal migrants, and to turn his back on wind energy to “drill baby drill.”
But other divisions – such as on Gaza or Ukraine or free speech – failed to spark.
Mr Trump played the perfect guest and did his embattled host a favour. When he was asked about the sacking of Lord Mandelson as ambassador to the US he claimed not to know him.
And when he was asked whether free speech was under attack in the UK, he paid tribute to Charlie Kirk, the conservative campaigner shot dead in Utah last week, but avoided commenting on the British position.
Both could have led to very difficult moments. Mr Trump and his finely tuned political radar knew better than to answer.
On the sacking of Lord Mandelson, Donald Trump said: “I had heard that and I think maybe the Prime Minister would be better speaking over that. That was a choice that he made and I don’t know.”
The peer was fired as the UK’s ambassador to the US by Sir Keir Starmer last week when the extent of his friendship with the US financier was revealed.
When asked at a joint press conference whether he had sympathy with Lord Mandelson for being sacked, Mr Trump said “I don’t know him actually”.
Mr Trump and the then-top diplomat at the embassy in Washington have been pictured together in the Oval Office.
Sir Keir added: “Well, I mean it’s very straightforward. Some information came to light last week which wasn’t available when he was appointed and I made a decision about it and that’s very clear.”
Donald Trump was asked if he agreed with JD Vance that free speech was “under threat” in the US, while Sir Keir Starmer was asked about Jimmy Kimmel being taken off air.
Mr Trump said: “Well Jimmy Kimmel was fired because he had bad ratings more than anything else and he said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk.
“And Jimmy Kimmel is not a talented person, he had very bad ratings and they should have fired him a very long time ago. So you can call that free speech or not.”
Sir Keir said of Charlie Kirk: “Can I just express how shocking that is I think to everybody who believes in free speech and in democracy? And it sent shockwaves through the world, and I know that he was a friend of the president and I reached out straight away to the president because I understood how impactful it would be on him and his family.
“And we all need to be absolutely clear about that, whatever our political views, it is shocking and needs to be condemned.”
Donald Trump was asked by ITV’s Robert Peston “if not now, when” would he exercise his influence over Benjamin Netanyahu and tell him to stop.
Mr Trump said: “You do understand about Oct 7. One of the worst days in the history of humanity. What happened, I have seen the tapes. Babies that are four months old just chopped up to pieces. You’ve seen the tapes and I’ve seen the tapes, you’re a professional and so am I.
“People forget about Oct 7, I can’t forget about it. And I want it to end but I want the hostages back, I don’t want the hostages used as human shields which is what Hamas is threatening to do.”
Asked if the release of remaining hostages was when he would tell Mr Netanyahu to stop, Mr Trump replied: “It would certainly help but I want to have the hostages back. And I don’t want them back piecemeal as I said before, I want them back.”
Sir Keir Starmer was asking why he was “waiting for President Trump to leave the country” to recognise Palestine as a state and if there was a risk of rewarding Hamas.
“Let me be really clear about Hamas,” Sir Keir said. “They’re a terrorist organisation who are going to have no part in any future governance in Palestine.”
Donald Trump tapped him on the back and said “that’s good”, before the Prime Minister added: “What happened on Oct 7 was the worst attack since Holocaust. We have extended family in Israel. I understand first-hand the psychological impact that that had across Israel.
“So I know exactly where I stand in relation to Hamas. Hamas of course don’t want a two-state solution, they don’t want peace, they don’t want a ceasefire. I’m very clear where I stand on Hamas.”
Sir Keir insisted: “I made my position clear at the end of my July as to the timing which has got nothing to do with this state visit and I’ve discussed it with the president, as you would expect amongst two leaders who respect each other and like each other and want to bring about a better solution in the best way that we can.”
Donald Trump said his success on TikTok was part of why he won the 2024 presidential election “by such a big number”.
“TikTok has tremendous value. The United States has that value in its hand because we’re the ones that have to approve it, I specifically get the right to approve it..
“The people who are investing in it are among the greatest investors in the world, the biggest, the richest and they’ll do a great job and we’re doing it in conjunction with China. But we are getting, the United States are getting a tremendous fee-plus, I call it a fee-plus, just for making the deal.
“I don’t want to throw it out the window. You’ll have a lot of very unhappy youth.”
Sir Keir Starmer was asked if he would consider something equivalent to the proscription of Antifa as a terror group in the US.
“We obviously will take decisions for ourselves, I don’t want to comment on the decisions of the President, but we take those decisions ourselves.”
Sir Keir Starmer was asked if Britain was “still a Christian country”, while Donald Trump was asked about 12,000 people a year being arrested for social posts in the UK every year.
Sir Keir said: “In terms of a Christian country, I was christened so that is my church, it has been all my life. And we are, that is wired into our informal constitution. Of course we celebrate many other faiths and well and I’m really proud that we’re able to do so as a country.
“And on free speech that has long lived in this country, free speech, it’s one of the founding values of the United Kingdom, and we protect it jealously and fiercely and always will and we will bear down on any limits on free speech.
“I draw a limit between free speech and the speech of those that want to peddle paedophilia and suicide social media to children, and therefore I’m all for free speech, I’m also for protecting children from things that will harm them, paedophiles, those that peddle suicide, which had a terrible consequence for individual particularly teenagers. And so that’s the balance we strike but we have had freedom of speech in this country for a very long time and we’ve got to protect it.”
Sir Keir Starmer said: “We have to put extra pressure on Putin and it’s only when the president has put pressure on Putin that he’s actually shown any inclination to move.
“So we have to ramp that pressure up. I think it’s important to have this conversation in the context of what’s happened in recent weeks. We saw damage and bombing to the British Council in Kyiv. These are targets that it was thought until recently that were targets would not be hit.”
On Ukraine, Donald Trump said “that’s a war that could have been a Third World War and I don’t think we’re going to be there but that was heading to a Third World War”.
Donald Trump said of Vladimir Putin: “He has let me down, he’s killing many people and he’s losing more people than he’s killing.
“I mean frankly Russian soldiers are being killed at a higher rate than the Ukrainian soldiers. But he’s let me down, I don’t like to see… It doesn’t affect the United States unless you end up over a world war over this thing, you could.
“This is a thing that would never have happened if I was president […] and I spoke to president Putin about Ukraine, it was the apple of his eye, I’ve said that many times, it was. But he would have never done what he did except he didn’t respect the leadership of the United States.”
Mr Trump added: “A lot of things are happening but I am very disappointed in the fact that that one’s not settled.”
Donald Trump said: “The North Sea oil is phenomenal. And I hope, because I love this country, you know? My mother was born in Scotland, the Hebrides, Stornoway, that’s serious Scotland, we were talking about it.
“And I want this country to do well and you have great assets that you’ve got to start using, I believe, under this Prime Minister.”
Sir Keir Starmer said he had returned 35,000 migrants since coming into office and touted his returns arrangement with France.
“Notwithstanding the challenges to that scheme which you’ve seen in the last few days, a flight went off at 6.15 this morning successfully returning someone under that scheme,” he said.
“So that is an important step forward. Obviously there’s no silver bullet here, there’s a range of things that need to be done. But given the challenges of returning people it’s important to prove it can be done.
“It was done, it was done early this morning so I can confirm that flight went, it went successfully, and now we need to ramp it up to scale which was always envisaged under the scheme. But it’s very important we’ve been able to offer proof of concept if you like and we will continue in that way.”
Sir Keir added he was “absolutely determined” to lower the cost of energy for households and consumers but also for business.
“The mix will include oil and gas for many years to come from the North Sea, we’ve been clear about that for some time but we also need to mix that with renewables and it’s the mix that’s really important.”
Donald Trump was asked for his advice to Sir Keir Starmer on tackling illegal migration, and the Prime Minister was asked about Mr Trump’s “drill, baby, drill” policy compared to his own renewable energy stance.
Mr Trump said: “We had millions of people flowing in totally unchecked, totally un-vetted from the Biden administration. Twenty-five million in my opinion, they came from prisons, they came from mental institutions, they were gang members, they were drug dealers. They came from the Congo, they came from all parts of South America. They came from everywhere.”
He added: “I couldn’t believe it and one of the reasons I decided to run, I decided to run because I don’t wanna be controversial but you see what’s happened and you see all the information that’s come out. We won in 2020 big and I said let’s run, we’ve got to run… We’ve already solved inflation, we’ve solved prices, oil is way down, energy is way down in the United States.
“But what I saw happen with millions of people pouring into our country, I couldn’t stand to watch it. And we’ve done a great job. Nobody, absolutely zero, and I’m not even sure that’s possible but it’s a very liberal group who come out with those statistics. The last three months we had zero people enter our country illegally. And we do have people come in legally… I think it’s very important and we speak about it and I think your situation is very similar.
“You have people coming in and I told the Prime Minister I would stop it. And it doesn’t matter if you call out the military, it doesn’t matter what means you use. But it destroys countries from within and we’re now actually removing the people that came into the country. It’s a very hard chore, we were given a very, very bad hand… We have to remove them and we are removing them, we have no choice and I feel very strongly about it.”
Sir Keir Starmer dismissed the idea it was “gesture politics” to recognise Palestine, adding: “We absolutely agree on the need for peace and a roadmap because the situation in Gaza is intolerable.
“The hostages have been held for a very, very long time and they must be freed and they need aid to get into Gaza at speed and so it’s within that context of a plan for peace, which we are working hard on, which not only did we discuss this morning but our teams have been working together on, in which the question of recognition needs to be seen.”
Donald Trump was asked about the UK’s plan to recognise a Palestinian state and why he thought that was wrong.
He said: “Simply I want the hostages released now, right now, not one, two, we’ll give you three more tomorrow and you know like it’s been. But we’re the ones who’ve got all the hostages released. Many, many came to the Oval Office and I’ve heard stories like I never thought even possible.
“There was no humanity, no anything. I said to them was there any warmth shown during this stay, they offered you a little extra, they gave you a little extra […] Every one of them said not even a little bit.”
Mr Trump added: “I always asked that question. Was there any warmth shown, even a little word of encouragement? And in every case the answer was no […] We have to remember Oct 7, one of the worst most violent days in the history of the world. And I got to see the tapes and I wish I didn’t see them. And I want an end, I want an end, I want the hostages to be released.
“And I think it’s gonna be okay but it has been a brutal period of time. But this has been going on for a long time, this is not something that’s over the last year, two years, this has been around for decades. But we want it to end, we have to have the hostages back immediately, that’s what the people of Israel want, they want them back.
“Hamas said that they’re going to put the hostages up as bait, they’re going to put the hostages in front of any attack. And that’s pretty brutal, we haven’t heard that one in a long time. So I have a disagreement with the Prime Minister on that score. One of our few disagreements, actually.”
Donald Trump said he looked forward to “working even more closely” with Sir Keir Starmer “as you push towards that five per cent goal” for defence spending.
“There could be no greater tribute to the immortal bonds of affection and loyalty that unite the British and American people for all of time. We have a relationship like no other. It will always be that way, we will always be united, we will always be together.
“And I just want to thank you Mr Prime Minister for the great job I think you’re doing.”
Donald Trump said the US was “doing better than it has ever done” for business and investment, pointing to record stock market highs.
“We seem to be hitting new highs and I think we’re going to be doing much better even as time goes on. Jobs are at a record and most importantly we have more than $17tn, $17tn, and this is during an eight month period.”
Mr Trump said he had solved “seven wars, wars that were unsolved, wars that couldn’t be negotiated or solved”.
He added: “The one I thought would be easiest would be because of my relationship with president Putin but he’s let me down, he’s really let me down. It was going to be Russia and Ukraine but we’ll see how that turns out. But that turned out to be…
“I thought it might be just about the easiest of the group. But we’ve settled just about every conflict and we’re working very hard on Israel and Gaza… Complex but it’s going to get done, it’s going to get done right.
“Likewise, Russia and Ukraine will get done but you never know with war. War is a different thing. Things happen that are very opposite of what you thought. You thought you were going to have an easy time or a hard time and it turns out to be the reverse.
Donald Trump said: “Prime Minister Starmer, Melania and I are tremendously thankful for the wonderful hospitality that you and Lady Starmer have extended today at Chequers.
“Quite the place, I must say, quite the place, and we’re grateful beyond words for the spectacular honour of the state visit yesterday at Windsor Castle, hosted by His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty Queen Camilla. These are two fantastic people. We will never forget it.
“As I said last night the bond between our two countries is like no other anywhere in the world. The United States and the United Kingdom have done more good on this planet than any two nations in human history.
“This is thanks in large part to the traditions of British liberty which grew up on these isles, these beautiful, magnificent isles, and were carried by our ancestors to the new world, we’re forever joined and we are forever friends and we will always be friends.”
Mr Trump said he was “thrilled” to make his first “historic” and “very good” trade deal with the UK, adding: “He’s a tough negotiator. I think it was a better deal for you than for us. He is a great negotiator.”
Sir Keir chimed in to say: “It’s a very good deal for both of us.”
Sir Keir Starmer told Donald Trump it was “no exaggeration to say the relationship our two nations together has shaped the world”.
“From the beaches of Normandy to the founding of Nato, to the creation of technologies that have revolutionised our lives.
“Time and time again, it is British and American men and women side-by-side changing the path of history and turning it towards our values, towards freedom, democracy and the rule of law. In Britain we take huge pride in that. And let’s be clear, this relationship is not just about history, it’s about the future.
“It’s about the benefits it delivers now and for decades to come to make our people safer and better off. We’ve shown today that we’re delivering those benefits, improving people’s lives.”
Sir Keir said he was “more optimistic than ever and more confident than ever” about what the UK and US can achieve side-by-side ahead of the 250th anniversary of the US next year.
Sir Keir Starmer said: “We are also united in the pursuit of peace. We are working together to end the humanitarian catastrophe in the Middle East, get the aid in, free the hostages, and ultimately bring Israel and the region back towards a comprehensive plan which can deliver peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians alike.
“We’re also working together to end the killing in Ukraine. In recent days Putin has shown his true face, mounting the biggest attack since the invasion began with yet more bloodshed, yet more innocents killed and unprecedented violations of Nato airspace.
“These are not the actions of someone who wants peace. So we’ve discussed today how we can build our defences further, support Ukraine and decisively increase the pressure on Putin, to get him to agree a peace deal that will last. And President Trump, you have led the way here and we will continue to stand and work together for security and for peace.”
Sir Keir Starmer said he was “determined” to “put more cash in people’s pockets at the end of each month”.
The Prime Minister hailed a “fantastic meeting with business leaders”, adding: “They have responded with new deals and investment breaking every record that we have.
“£250bn flowing both ways across the Atlantic. That is a record… changing lives in communities up and down our country.
“And look, while we shape this bond for a new era, the fundamentals have not changed. Security remains the cornerstone of this special relationship. We have the deepest, most advanced defence relationship in the world, our warriors train together and they fight together. Our industries build together, everything from fast jets to the new Aukus-class submarines.
“So now as we drive up defence spending we’re going to sweep away the barriers to working together on new defence technologies so we can stay ahead of our adversaries.”
Sir Keir Starmer said: “It’s a pleasure to welcome you to Chequers, this historic second state visit is a moment to celebrate the unique bond between our two countries. But today we’ve gone far beyond that.
“We’ve renewed the special relationship for a new era. The United Kingdom and the United States stand together today as first partners on defence, first partners in trade with the groundbreaking deal we struck in May.
“And now with the new agreement we signed this afternoon we’re confirming our status as the first partners in science and technology ready to define this century together just as we did the last.”
Sir Keir added that the Tech Prosperity Deal “has the chance to change lives”, saying artificial intelligence must amplify human potential by “making us richer and freer”.
The room picked for the Trump-Starmer press conference is lavish and ornate.
There are two levels of vast oil paintings with golden frames hanging above the podiums.
Before a lavish fireplace are two UK and two US flags – the backdrop for the cameras.
Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, and Scott Bessent, the US Treasury Secretary, have taken their positions by the seats.
There is a grand piano and a vast stuffed chest in one corner and a candled chandelier hanging above the room.
In other words, the type of luxuriant flourishes the US President tends to enjoy.
The British Army’s Red Devils Parachute Display Team has now finished and we now await the least choreographed element of Donald Trump’s state visit, his press conference with Sir Keir Starmer.
Sir Keir Starmer and Donald Trump are now outside Chequers, where they have been joined by Lady Starmer and Melania Trump.
They are watching an air display by the British Army’s Red Devils Parachute Display Team, which precedes the slightly delayed press conference to be held by Sir Keir and Mr Trump.
Sir Keir Starmer said the £150bn in UK investments announced by American companies this week served as a “testament to Britain’s economic strength”.
It is certainly a big headline number – far surpassing the £40bn in deals announced during Xi Jinping’s state visit in 2015 that was, until now, a record. Companies such as investment giant Blackstone, Google and Prologis are all committing billions.
Whether they can be put down to the Prime Minister’s diplomacy is another matter. Take Microsoft, whose $31bn (£22bn) investment over the next four years was one of the headline announcements.
Around half of that is in operational costs – paying staff and keeping the lights on. The other $15.6bn, due to go on actual infrastructure, is still a hefty sum, but it represents less than 5per cent of the company’s global investments over the next four years – which could be considered run of the mill stuff in one of its bigger markets.
Perhaps that is best demonstrated by the relatively low forecasts for job creation. The Government said 7,600 jobs would result from the announcements – relatively minor when the estimated number of jobs in the UK is currently declining by 2,000 a day.
Downing Street said a number of high-profile business leaders were at Chequers this lunchtime with Donald Trump, Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves.
These included Alexa Kendall of Wayve and Jensen Huang of Nvidia.
CS Venkatakrishnan from Barclays, Larry Fink of Blackrock and Greg Jackson from Octopus Energy were also in attendance.
It is not long now until Donald Trump and Sir Keir Starmer hold their much-anticipated press conference.
To date, the trip has gone significantly better for the Prime Minister than many had predicted, with the US president hailing the “unbreakable bond” between the UK and the US.
However, Mr Trump’s engagements with the media are famously unpredictable and there is no telling what responses more politically sensitive lines of questioning may yield this afternoon.
According to Ben Riley-Smith, our Political Editor, the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, steel tariffs, the sacking of Lord Mandelson and free speech in the UK are all among the topics likely to be on the agenda this afternoon.
Forget special. Donald Trump has dubbed the UK-US relationship “unbreakable” as he and Sir Keir Starmer gave remarks to business leaders.
The pair sat together in a marquee before some of the world’s richest men as they signed a tech trade partnership.
At one point the US president said of the ties between the two countries: “It’s an unbreakable bond, regardless of what we’re doing today. I think it’s unbreakable”.
There were also warm words from the Prime Minister too who patted Mr Trump on the shoulder when talking about “leaders who respect each other, leaders who genuinely like each other”.
Mr Trump joked with his treasury secretary Scott Bessent and commerce secretary Howard Lutnick as he signed the technology deal.
He said: “Should I sign this Howard? Scott? If the deal’s no good I’m blaming you.”
Speaking about the new technology prosperity deal, Mr Trump said: “With this agreement, our cherished friendship with the United Kingdom is getting stronger and stronger.
“Again, I want to thank the Prime Minister. He worked very hard on this, in getting this deal done.”
The deal has been “long in the making”, Mr Trump said, adding it was a “real honour” to be sat alongside Sir Keir.
The US president added: “This agreement will also help America and our British allies dominate the future of artificial intelligence.
“You need the energy, you have to have the energy. That’s one thing I learned very quickly. They need a lot of electricity.”
The US is “leading China and the world by a lot” on AI, he added.
Donald Trump said the UK and US had an “unbreakable bond” as he hailed the “exquisite honour” of a second state visit.
Speaking alongside Sir Keir Starmer the US president: “(I’m) sincerely grateful to Prime Minister Starmer and Lady Starmer for welcoming us to this very special home, this beautiful place.
“And I was here a number of years ago, but somehow today, it looks even better, even more beautiful and even more historic. Melania and I are forever thankful to His Majesty King Charles the Third, and Her Majesty, Queen Camilla.
“Had a fantastic evening last night, but the exquisite honour of a second official state visit, the first ever.
“It’s the first time it’s ever been done, was really was an honour such great history, and to think it’s a first, it’s always nice to have a first, but the ties between our countries are priceless, and it’s really an inheritance, beautiful inheritance.
“Today, we’re making those ties closer than ever before. We’ve done some things that financially are great for both countries, and we work together, and it keeps us together.
“And I think it’s an unbreakable bond we have, regardless of what we’re doing today, I think it’s unbreakable.”
Sir Keir Starmer said it was a “great day for the special relationship” as he praised “my friend, our friend, President Trump”.
The Prime Minister said: “This is a great day for the special relationship: a celebration of what has gone before, of course, but more than that, a moment to deliver investments, jobs and deals which will improve people’s lives now and light up the special relationship for years to come.
“So thank you all, and now it is my pleasure to hand the floor to my friend, our friend, President Trump.”
Donald Trump and Sir Keir Starmer are speaking to business leaders at Chequers.
The leaders are about to sign a “technology prosperity deal”, touted as offering major investment by US tech firms in Britain that will help to develop its AI capabilities.
The Prime Minister said: “There’s so much to celebrate in the special relationship between our two countries.
“By standing together in war and peace, this bond is the very foundation of our security, our freedom and our prosperity.”
The test of the special relationship, Sir Keir said, is “how much it delivers for honest hard working people to make them safer and better off”.
“We have already taken a big step forward and we’re going much further,” he added.
How, exactly, has Sir Keir Starmer, a human rights lawyer, a stickler for the rules, managed to win over Donald Trump, a former property mogul with a penchant for populism and a loose relationship with the facts?
It is a mystery that still puzzles Westminster.
Certainly it was not guaranteed: last summer, the pair had never talked and the Trump campaign was busy filing legal complaints over Labour staffers meddling in the presidential race to help the Democrats.
And yet there is mounting evidence to suggest Sir Keir does indeed have the ear of the president.
You can read the full breakdown of the pair’s relationship by our Political Editor Ben Riley-Smith here
What type of Trump press conference will we see today? For connoisseurs of this stuff there is a wide array of possibilities…
We are not expecting a repeat of the lengthy Oval Office affairs that see the US president answer rounds and rounds of questions while his fellow world leader keeps shtum.
Surely there is no chance of the session lasting 90 minutes – like a football match, just without the break – as Mr Trump did at his Scottish golf course with Sir Keir in July.
But the indications from Downing Street is the presser might be a little more “fluid” than the tightly controlled usual format with world leaders that sees four questions max.
The degree to which the Prime Minister defers to the US president – who, after all, is the visiting leader speaking on British soil – will also be one to monitor.
The Princess of Wales and Melania Trump have been given honorary Scout badges, after helping young nature-lovers in making bug hotels and leaf pictures.
The Princess made packed lunches for the children, aged four to six years old, with honey sandwiches made from her own beehives.
Mrs Trump, dressed in flat shoes for the countryside outing, had one small Scout on her lap as they joined in the activities, telling children her favourite insect is a ladybird.
The princess and the first lady joined 20 Squirrel Scouts taking part in nature activities on the Windsor Castle estate, as they worked to earn their ‘Go Wild’ badges.
At the end of the session, the two women presented badges to the children, giving them a clap, and seemed delighted – and made a good show of being surprised – to be given their own.
Mrs Trump came bearing gifts: a jar of White House honey for each of the children from Lewisham, south London.
The Princess is known to keep her own bees at Anmer Hall, a new hobby which she has spoken about on recent engagements.
The Queen is also a keen apiarist who keeps bees at Raymill, her six-bedroom retreat in Lacock, Wiltshire.
Kate, joint president of the Scouts, hosted the children in the gardens of Frogmore House, a former royal residence in Windsor Home Park, close to the castle.
She was joined by Chief Scout Dwayne Fields, who said before the event: “Having someone with the profile of the Princess of Wales as joint president, you can imagine it’s incredible for the young people to see her.
“I think it’s a great thing to have her shine a light on the movement.”
Press conferences between world leaders offer a chance to tease out differences on policy and seek clarity on the pressing issues of the day.
So what could come up today? Here are a few topics worth watching out for…
Gaza
Sir Keir Starmer is set to formally recognise the Palestinian state later this month. Donald Trump’s administration has criticised the move, arguing it rewards Hamas.
Steel
The Prime Minister gleefully announced Mr Trump had agreed to a zero per cent steel tariff months ago, only for it never to be delivered. Has he given up entirely?
Ukraine
Sir Keir wants more clarity on the security guarantees the US is offering for a peace-keeping force in Ukraine. Will Mr Trump offer any firm detail on his loose interest?
Epstein
The Prime Minister sacked Lord Mandelson as his US ambassador over a friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. Mr Trump knew Epstein too. Does he back the decision?
Free speech
The US administration has taken pot-shots at the UK’s record on free speech in recent months. Will the President raise any concerns if asked by the press?
The first lady has joined the Princess of Wales at Frogmore Gardens on the Windsor estate to meet the Chief Scout, Dwayne Fields, and members of the Scouts’ Squirrels programme as they learn about nature to achieve their ‘Go Wild’ badge.
The Princess is the joint president of the Scouts Association.
Her Royal Highness is wearing a skirt by Ralph Lauren. Her scarf is from Sudbury Mill, which she visited last week, watching the production of the silk jacquard and helping to weave.
Last night’s state banquet might have had a traditional white tie dress code, but the sartorial expectations of today’s state visit schedule are less clear – as evidenced by the three disparate outfits donned by the first lady, the Queen, and Lady Starmer.
Following her bold Carolina Herrera gown last night, Melania Trump made another statement this morning during a tour of Windsor Castle’s Royal Library and Queen Mary’s Doll’s House. She wore a caramel-hued leather skirt suit by Louis Vuitton paired with co-ordinating Manolo Blahnik snakeskin pumps.
The Queen, in contrast, opted for a white dress with black trim by one of her trusted favourite designers, Fiona Clare. She has worn the dress on previous occasions, including at Wimbledon in 2023.
Meanwhile at Chequers, Lady Starmer embraced florals in a Karen Millen shirt dress from a collection by influencer Lydia Millen. The now sold out piece originally cost £159 at the British high street store.
Hello from Chequers, where the press have been taken by bus to cover today’s press conference – by far the most politically fraught bit of the state visit for Number 10.
Security was tight, as you would expect. The day is overcast, a blanket gray sitting above this 16th century country house and the green fields that roll off into every direction.
Donald Trump has been here before. It was blistering hot in July 2018 when the US President stood next to Theresa May on a patch of yellow scorched turf by the mansion.
That press conference was dominated by a critical interview the president had given to The Sun before flying in where he questioned the then prime minister’s Brexit approach.
Relations are more cordial with Sir Keir than they were with Baroness May. Downing Street will hope differences in policy and political approach will not be too exposed this afternoon.
Melania Trump has stayed behind and has joined the Queen on a tour of the castle’s Royal Library and Queen Mary’s Doll’s House.
The first lady has been pictured walking side-by-side with the Queen through the library, and watching school children drawing in their miniature books.
She will join her husband at Chequers later today before they depart the UK.
Sir Keir Starmer and Donald Trump will hold a bilateral meeting on the second day of the US president’s state visit.
They also plan to sign a technology prosperity deal, touted as offering major investment by US tech firms in Britain, that will help to develop its AI capabilities.
The Prime Minister will present the US leader with a bespoke ministerial red box styled to take back to the White House, as well as showing him items from the Churchill archives.
The two men will also meet investors including bosses from GSK, Microsoft and Rolls-Royce while Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will also have face-to-face talks at Chequers.
Questions have, however, begun to arise over what American companies may want in return, with suggestions a tax on digital services – which largely impacts on US companies – could be reduced or eliminated.
Hopes that a deal aimed at reducing steel tariffs on British imports to the US could be hammered out during the state visit, meanwhile, appear to have fallen by the wayside, media reports have suggested.
Sir Keir and Mr Trump will hold a press conference later today.
Sir Keir Starmer and Lady Starmer have walked out of Chequers to greet Donald Trump.
The couple shook hands with the US president and held a brief conversation before they posed for photographs.
Sir Keir could be seen talking to Mr Trump as they walked side-by-side into Chequers and disappeared from view.
The president was greeted by an honour guard of RAF personnel from nearby RAF Halton and two RAF bagpipers.
Donald Trump’s helicopter, Marine One, has touched down in the grounds of Chequers in the last few moments.
Mr Trump has left the helicopter and walked about 20 paces to a vehicle which will take him to the Prime Minister’s countryside residence.
Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, have bid a formal farewell to the King and Queen at Windsor Castle.
The US president and first lady spent the night in the castle after being feted with a lavish state banquet and an array of military celebrations.
The couple said their goodbyes to the King and Queen in the castle’s Green Corridor on Thursday morning.
The four posed for a joint photograph together in the grand corridor, which is lined with gilt edged historic paintings and antique furniture.
Mr Trump gave a big grin, baring his teeth as he stood next to the King, with their wives at their sides.
The president made the King laugh, saying: “I looked at the picture we took last night…But you were more serious than me…She [Melania] said ‘You’re smiling’ and I said ‘Yeah I like it when I smile.”
Although Mrs Trump attended the official parting of ways, she is in fact staying behind to carry out joint engagements, first with the Queen, and then the Princess of Wales.
She will join the Queen for a tour of Queen Mary’s Doll’s House and the Royal Library in Windsor Castle.
In the last few moments, Donald Trump has walked out of the Sovereign’s Entrance of Windsor Castle with the King.
The two men could be seen having a brief discussion before they shook hands warmly and smiled for the television cameras.
The US president could be heard saying: “Thank you very much, everybody. He’s a great gentleman and a great King”.
The Windsor Castle detachment of The King’s Guard turned out in the Quadrangle outside to mark Mr Trump’s departure
The president walked away and climbed into the backseat of “The Beast”, his armoured black limousine, where he could be seen through the window smiling.
Mr Trump is leaving for Chequers to meet Sir Keir Starmer, ready to turn his attention to politics.
Donald Trump is expected to formally bid farewell to the King at Windsor Castle shortly.
The president was scheduled to depart at 10am but there appears to have been a delay.
Four men who were arrested after images of Donald Trump with Jeffrey Epstein were projected on to Windsor Castle have been bailed, police said.
A 60-year-old man from East Sussex, a 36-year-old man from London, a 37-year-old man from Kent and a 50-year-old man from London were arrested on suspicion of malicious communications on Tuesday night after the stunt at the Berkshire royal residence, Thames Valley Police said.
They were released on conditional bail on Wednesday night until December 12 while inquiries continue, according to the force.
“Those arrested are being investigated for a number of possible offences including malicious communications and public nuisance,” a force spokesman said.
UK-US relations have been strengthened because Donald Trump is an “Anglophile” unlike previous US presidents like Barack Obama and Joe Biden, Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg has said.
The former Tory Cabinet minister told GB News: “Donald Trump’s presidency has brought energy to the special relationship, unlike Obama and Biden, neither of whom seem to like this country very much.
“Fortunately, his instinctive Anglophilia meant Britain enjoyed a warmer reception in Washington than many of our European counterparts.
“Donald Trump’s preference for bilateral arrangements made provision for Britain to negotiate on its own terms, whether on trade, defence or intelligence.
“His belief that Europe should take greater responsibility for its own security helped Britain’s role as America’s closest ally on the continent. And where foreign policy is concerned, the UK is well positioned to secure tangible benefits by aligning with us priorities.
“America is our ally. Donald Trump is an outward Anglophile and this bodes well for the strength of the special relationship, even if under previous administrations, they were not always so friendly.
“Joe Biden’s presidency set the special relationship back almost irreparably. His identification with his Irish heritage coloured his approach to issues such as Northern Ireland and Brexit, creating friction rather than good will.”
Kemi Badenoch has posted a photograph of herself with Donald Trump at last night’s state banquet at Windsor Castle.
The Conservative leader captioned the Instagram post: “What a pleasure to meet President Trump at the State Banquet. He gave a wonderful speech on his admiration for our country, reminding us about all the things that put the ‘Great’ in Great Britain!”
Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, was not invited to the banquet, while Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey boycotted the event to “send a message” to the US president over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Sir Keir Starmer will continue his campaign to woo Donald Trump today as he hosts the US president at his grace and favour country home in the Buckinghamshire countryside.
The Prime Minister is hoping to keep the focus of the visit on an influx of American investment into the UK, having announced overnight the prospect of some £150bn flowing into the UK from big US companies such as Blackstone and Palantir.
As Sir Keir and Mr Trump meet at Chequers, they also plan to sign a technology prosperity deal, touted as offering major investment by US tech firms in Britain, that will help to develop its AI capabilities.
The Prime Minister will present the US leader with a bespoke ministerial red box styled to take back to the White House, as well as showing him items from the Churchill archives.
The two men will also meet investors including bosses from GSK, Microsoft and Rolls-Royce while Yvette Cooper, the Foreign Secretary, and Marco Rubio, US secretary of state, will also have face-to-face talks at Chequers.
Both Sir Keir’s government and the Trump administration are plagued by scandals related to Jeffrey Epstein, the paedophile financier.
This afternoon’s press conference with the two leaders could prove to be the moment of most jeopardy, as questions about Lord Mandelson and Mr Trump’s links to the late Epstein are likely to arise.
Differences of opinion over the situation in the Middle East may also prove difficult for the two men.
Sir Keir has delayed his plans to recognise a Palestinian state until after Mr Trump’s visit concludes to avoid open disagreement over the matter, The Times reported.
President Donald Trump was treated to a day of military spectacle and royal access on Wednesday as the King pulled out all the stops to welcome him to Windsor Castle.
The visit began on the lawns of the Walled Garden, in a little-seen corner of the Windsor Estate, where Mr Trump and his wife, Melania, were greeted by the Prince and Princess of Wales as they stepped out of their helicopter.
Mr Trump patted Prince William on the arm, telling him: “Hello, my friend. How are you?”.
“You’re so beautiful, so beautiful,” he appeared to tell the Princess.
The president and Prince William made conversation as they walked the short distance back to Victoria House where the King and Queen were waiting to greet them.
“This is my father,” the Prince was heard to say, gesturing to the King.
After a minute of small talk, with the King and president standing as a pair and Queen Camilla with Mrs Trump, the UK-US parties climbed into the waiting carriages.
The King and Mr Trump travelled in the Irish State Coach, with the monarch pointing out the details of the ornate carriage to his guest.
The Queen and the First Lady followed in the Scottish State Coach with US ambassador to the UK Warren Stephens and his wife.
The procession route took in around 2km of park land, into the castle’s George IV Gateway and finishing in the Quadrangle of Windsor Castle where the pomp and pageantry of the British Armed Forces awaited.
Here was the most formal of the day’s engagements: the “extra large” Guard of Honour, made up of the Grenadier Guards, Coldstream Guards and Scots Guards gave a royal salute and the US and UK national anthems were played.
The quartet of King, Queen, Mr and Mrs Trump stood on the dais, with the Waleses to the side.
Mr Trump appeared delighted at being asked to inspect the Guard of Honour, walking in front of the King as per protocol and thanking Lt Col Storm Green no fewer than four times.
However, the jewel in the crown of a day designed to flatter the leader of the free world was the state banquet that evening.
The president was seated between the King and Princess of Wales, with Melania Trump flanked by the Queen and Prince of Wales on the opposite side of the table.
Guests included Rupert Murdoch, the newspaper proprietor, the golfer Sir Nick Faldo, and Apple’s Tim Cook.
In the convivial atmosphere of the banquet, Mr Trump used his speech to describe his second state visit to Britain as “one of the highest honours of my life”.
“It’s a singular privilege to be the first American president welcomed here and, if you think about it, it’s a lot of presidents and this was the second state visit, and that’s the first, and maybe that’s going to be the last time.
“But this is truly one of the highest honours of my life, such respect for you and such respect for your country.
“For many decades, His Majesty the King has epitomised the fortitude, nobility and the spirit of the British monarchy and the British people.”
Earlier, welcoming the president, the King said George Washington and George III could not possibly have imagined such scenes.
“It is remarkable to think just how far we have come,” the King told the banquet, raising a toast to the transatlantic relationship that “our predecessors have long called special”.
Nigel Farage has claimed Donald Trump “knows” he will be Britain’s next prime minister.
The Reform UK leader said the US president’s top team saw similarities between his insurgent party and their own political operation in the White House.
Reform is leading Labour in the polls by an average of more than 10 points, meaning that the party would comfortably win the next general election if it were held tomorrow
In an interview with the YouTube series Harry Cole Saves the West, Mr Farage said Britain was “incredibly lucky” that the president had “such a deep, emotional soft spot” for the UK.
Asked if Mr Trump saw him as Sir Keir’s successor, Mr Farage said: “He knows that. All the American administration are acutely aware of it.
“They think they see some similarities in what they’ve done and what we’ve done, and you know what, we speak the same language.”
If the first day of Donald Trump’s state visit was all about pomp and pageantry then the second will largely be about politics.
After staying at Windsor Castle last night, Donald and Melania Trump will formally bid farewell to the King and Queen later this morning.
The US president will travel to Chequers, the Prime Minister’s country residence in Buckinghamshire, where he will be met by Sir Keir Starmer and Lady Starmer.
He will also be greeted by a Guard of Honour from RAF Halton and bagpipers – his second Guard of Honour in two days after Wednesday’s welcome at Windsor Castle.
Mr Trump and Sir Keir will view the Sir Winston Churchill archives at Chequers before having a bilateral meeting.
They will then join a business reception, hosted by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, where they will both deliver remarks, followed by a press conference at Chequers.
For the first lady, it will be a rather different day.
Mrs Trump will remain at Windsor Castle following her husband’s departure, where she will join the Queen on a tour of Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House and the Royal Library.
She will then join the Princess of Wales at Frogmore Gardens to meet the Chief Scout, Dwayne Fields, and members of the Scouts’ Squirrels programme as they learn about nature to achieve their ‘Go Wild’ badge.
Only then will she travel to Chequers to join the president for the remainder of the day’s programme.
The president and first lady will bid farewell to Sir Keir and Lady Starmer at Chequers. The Lord Chamberlain will bid farewell to Mr and Mrs Trump on behalf of the King.
The Trumps will then travel back across the Atlantic on Air Force One.
Welcome to our live coverage of the second day of Donald Trump’s state visit to the UK.
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