U.S. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson Discuss International Matters, Emphasizing Alignments on Ukraine, NATO, Trade, Gaza, and Other Global Concerns
In a three-day visit to the United Kingdom, US President Donald Trump found himself at the centre of a series of international discussions.
During a press conference with Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump and Starmer did not denounce Israeli policies against Palestinians, a topic that has been a source of contention in recent times. Trump repeatedly invoked Hamas's October 7 attack when addressing the crisis in Gaza, where more than 65,140 Palestinians have been killed in Israel's campaign since the attack nearly two years ago.
In terms of foreign policy, Trump criticized the chaotic pullout from Afghanistan in 2021 under his predecessor, Joe Biden. He is now trying to negotiate a deal with the Taliban for the US military to return to the Bagram airbase in Afghanistan. The US has not recognized the Taliban government that came into power after the US military withdrawal.
The US-UK relationship, however, remains strong. Trump lauded the hospitality he received in Britain during his visit and declared the US and the UK as 'first partners' in trade, defence, and technology. Starmer underscored that the UK is leading a coalition to help Ukraine fend off the Russian invasion, a conflict that Trump expressed disappointment in Russian President Vladimir Putin regarding.
On a different note, Trump also spoke about the NATO alliance. He lauded NATO and its head, Mark Rutte, for increased military spending by its members, with NATO having pledged to increase military spending by its members to five percent of their respective gross domestic product (GDP). Rutte, who also serves as the Netherlands' Prime Minister, plays a key role in managing NATO's relationship with the United States, including supporting U.S. demands for increased European defense spending and coordinating NATO's collective defense efforts.
In domestic US news, Jimmy Kimmel, the American TV host, was fired by ABC, partly due to comments about right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk. The suspected shooter of Kirk has 'leftist ideology', according to Utah Governor Spencer Cox. This firing is part of a broader push by Republican officials to fire people over Kirk-related comments.
As Trump's visit comes to an end, the US and the UK's rock-solid ties, as the UK officially left the European Union in 2020, remain a beacon of stability in an ever-changing global landscape.
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