Trump's UK visit controversial following regal greeting, politicized after initial warmth
Sir Peter Mandelson, the former British ambassador to Washington, was replaced in September 2025 following his dismissal due to the Epstein scandal. However, the search results do not specify who exactly replaced him.
Amidst the political turmoil, Britain is seeking to reduce 25-percent duties on aluminium and steel to zero, signifying a potential boost for trade relations with the US. However, Trump's non-committal comments suggest that an agreement on trade concessions is not imminent.
On a more positive note, US private equity giant Blackstone plans to invest £90 billion ($123 billion) in UK projects over the next decade, a significant injection of funds into the British economy.
The state visit of President Donald Trump to the UK has been a mix of high-level meetings, protests, and grand ceremonies. Trump and King Charles wrapped up the day with a white-tie state banquet, attended by 160 guests including senior royals, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, media mogul Rupert Murdoch, Apple CEO Tim Cook, and golfer Nick Faldo.
In his speech, King Charles praised Trump's "personal commitment to finding solutions to some of the world's most intractable conflicts," while stressing the environmental obligations current leaders have to "our children, grandchildren, and those who come after them."
The ceremonial guard of honour for Trump was the largest for a state visit to Britain in living memory, with around 120 horses and 1,300 members of the British military participating. The president's visit is happening behind closed doors, keeping him far away from the British public, among whom polls indicate Trump remains unpopular.
Trump and Keir Starmer, the UK prime minister, signed an "economic prosperity deal" in May. On the second day of Trump's visit, Starmer will meet him at Chequers.
Protests against Trump's visit were also a significant part of the scene. An estimated 5,000 people marched through central London, waving Palestinian flags and displaying banners with slogans including "Migrants welcome, Trump not welcome."
Meanwhile, Microsoft has announced a plan to spend $30 billion in the UK, and British pharmaceutical group GSK will invest $30 billion in the United States over the next five years, indicating a growing economic partnership between the two nations.
The menu for the state banquet included watercress panna cotta with parmesan shortbread and quail egg salad, chicken wrapped in courgettes, and vanilla ice cream bombe with raspberry sorbet. The pair, Trump and Charles, laughed and joked as Trump inspected troops at the castle west of London, in an elaborate welcome designed to play into the mercurial US leader's love of pageantry.
Before the dinner, Trump described the state visit as "truly one of the highest honours of my life," comparing the UK and US to "two notes in one chord... each beautiful on its own, but really meant to be played together."
However, not everyone in Britain shares this sentiment. Jo Williamson, a 58-year-old funeral director from Kent, southeast England, expressed her concerns about Trump's visit, stating, "I'm just scared of the way the world's being taken over by really nasty men."
Trade, Ukraine, and Gaza are among the issues on the agenda for the meeting. The visit has been marked by a mix of diplomacy, business deals, and public dissent, reflecting the complex relationship between the UK and the US under Trump's presidency.
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