Trump Arrives in UK for Rare Second State Visit
U.S. President Donald Trump arrived in the United Kingdom late Tuesday for a rare second state visit. The trip is expected to include the signing of investment agreements and efforts to reaffirm the longstanding ties between the two countries—ties that Prime Minister Keir Starmer is seeking to emphasise.
Ahead of the visit, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and UK Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the launch of a “Transatlantic taskforce” aimed at expanding cooperation between two of the world’s largest financial centres.
Trump will be formally welcomed by King Charles on Wednesday at Windsor Castle, where a day of traditional ceremony is planned. The event is seen by officials as an opportunity to reinforce diplomatic ties and avoid potential missteps during the visit.
Visit Comes at Pivotal Moment for Both Leaders
The timing of the visit provides a change of focus for both leaders. Trump arrives less than a week after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was fatally shot, an event reported to have had a personal impact on the president.
Starmer, meanwhile, is looking to redirect attention to global affairs and economic opportunity following a politically challenging period. Over the past two weeks, he dismissed his deputy, Angela Rayner, and later removed UK ambassador to the U.S., Peter Mandelson, due to Mandelson’s links to Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted sex offender.
The UK government aims to present the country as a key destination for U.S. investment, with plans to align its financial services, technology, and energy sectors more closely with American counterparts to boost domestic growth.
Top executives such as Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and OpenAI’s Sam Altman are expected to attend meetings during the visit, with billions of dollars in deals anticipated.
Microsoft announced plans to invest over $30 billion in the UK over four years, and Google committed to £5 billion ($6.8 billion), including the development of a new data centre near London to support AI infrastructure.
A spokesperson for Starmer described the state visit as “a historic opportunity” coming “at a crucial time for global stability and security.”
“The prime minister will discuss the challenges that both our countries face, and the opportunities, as we enter a new era of our deep and unparalleled relationship,” the spokesperson told reporters.
Chequers Meeting to Focus on Key Global Issues
On Thursday, Starmer will host Trump at his country residence, Chequers, where the agenda is expected to cover foreign policy and economic matters. The meeting comes at a time when Starmer is working to move past questions over his handling of recent high-profile dismissals.
Both Rayner and Mandelson had received Starmer’s public backing before their departures, leading to scrutiny of his political judgment—particularly as Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, continues to perform strongly in the polls.
Mandelson’s past ties to Epstein could present a delicate moment, given Trump’s previous connections to the former ambassador and his own past association with Epstein. Starmer has said he was unaware of the extent of Mandelson’s involvement, and Trump has denied writing Mandelson a birthday letter, which was made public by U.S. House Democrats.
Royal Ceremony and Diplomatic Engagements Planned
On Wednesday, Trump and First Lady Melania Trump will take part in a ceremonial welcome that includes a carriage procession, a state banquet, a flypast by military aircraft, and a gun salute.
Thursday’s talks at Chequers will include discussions on investment, tariffs on steel and aluminium, the conflict in Ukraine, and the situation in Gaza. Both nations will bring large delegations, and the visit will be secured against planned demonstrations.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived in the UK on Tuesday and was welcomed by new Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper.
