Trump's United Kingdom state visit shifts focus to politics following grand ceremonies
In September 2025, US President Donald Trump made his second state visit to the UK, focusing on strengthening the transatlantic alliance. The visit, which was hailed as the "highest honor," was marked by a series of significant events and meetings.
Upon arrival at Windsor Castle, King Charles III welcomed Trump with a royal spectacle featuring gun salutes, mounted horses, and bagpipes. The ceremonial guard of honor for Trump was the largest for a state visit in living memory, involving around 120 horses and 1,300 members of the British military.
During the visit, Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer laughed and joked during Trump's inspection of troops at Windsor Castle. The pair also signed an "economic prosperity deal" at the White House in May. The deal aimed to boost trade and investment between the two countries.
The state banquet, attended by 160 guests, including senior royals, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Rupert Murdoch, Tim Cook, and Nick Faldo, ended the day. The menu for the state banquet included watercress panna cotta, chicken wrapped in courgettes, vanilla ice cream bombe with raspberry sorbet, among other dishes.
First Lady Melania Trump remained in Windsor on Thursday morning to view Queen Mary's Doll's House with Queen Camilla. Meanwhile, Trump described the state visit as "truly one of the highest honours of my life."
However, the visit was not without controversy. Protests against Trump's visit took place in central London, with an estimated 5,000 people marching with signs like "Migrants welcome, Trump not welcome."
Trump's visit also brought up past controversies, with Jeffrey Epstein's name once again haunting Trump due to recent revelations about their relationship in the 1990s. Keir Starmer himself faced political troubles at home after sacking his UK ambassador to Washington, Peter Mandelson, over a furore involving the diplomat's connections to the late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Despite the non-committal comments suggesting an agreement on concessions was not imminent, Britain hoped to secure further concessions, including reducing 25-percent duties on aluminum and steel to zero. Pound sterling 150 billion of investment was announced from US giants like Microsoft and Blackstone.
In his speech, King Charles III praised Trump's "personal commitment to finding solutions to some of the world's most intractable conflicts." The king also stressed the environmental obligations leaders have towards future generations.
Overall, Trump's second state visit to the UK was a significant event, marked by moments of camaraderie, controversy, and a renewed focus on strengthening the transatlantic alliance.
