A visiting experience for Starmer might face an early end
In a significant diplomatic event, Donald Trump, the former U.S. President, visited London for a state visit, where he and Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced £250 billion in new deals between the two nations. The visit, however, was met with a mixed response from the British public, with 70 percent disliking Trump, according to YouGov polling.
The state visit played a pivotal role in securing a £30 billion investment from U.S. tech firms, with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang promising to deliver 120,000 of his company's chips for new AI data centers in the U.K. The tech deal, which helped get over the line, was part of a lineup of business and investment announcements that both the White House and No. 10 arranged to move past recent turbulences.
Despite the overwhelming deals, there were points of disagreement. Trump and Starmer had a disagreement about recognizing a Palestine state. Additionally, the 25 percent U.S. tariffs on the U.K.'s steel and aluminum exports were not removed during the state visit, and Trump's 10 percent tariffs on Scotch whisky and pending tariffs on pharmaceuticals did not get a public mention.
The visit also raised questions about the future of Britain's relations with the U.S., particularly in light of Trump's return to the U.S. Gavin Barwell warned that Starmer's progress on Ukraine could 'unravel' once Trump is back in the U.S. Barwell suggested that a visit from the King or the Prince of Wales to the U.S. might be considered as an alternative to another state visit for Trump.
Others, including another Labour backbench MP, Luke Akehurst, praised Starmer for building a good working relationship with Trump. However, they reserved judgement until they had scanned the details of the deals.
Trump, during his visit, made a statement about the relationship between Britain and the U.S., saying they have done more good on the planet than any two nations in history. The state visit, amid the potentially choppy diplomatic waters ahead, has left many wondering if Downing Street has another Trump card up its sleeve.
