U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania are flying into the United Kingdom to arrive late Tuesday evening for a unprecedented second state visit, the only foreign leader to have ever been extended such a courtesy.
President Trump hailed “elegant gentleman” King Charles III before he boarded Air Force One for the transatlantic flight to the United Kingdom on Tuesday morning. The President and First lady are due to arrive around 2100 UK time before travelling to Windsor Castle to sleep the night.
This is the first time a foreign leader has ever been invited to two state visits, the last having taken place in 2019. The rationale for the double is that since 2019 there has been a break in Trump’s presidency, and the previous host, Queen Elizabeth II died with a new monarch on the throne. Unspoken but more important is the diplomacy push by London to make the most of having an openly Anglophile President in the White House, and of his known fondness for the British Royals.
4 June 2019….Winfield House – Return Dinner held at Winfield House, Outer Circle, Regent’s Park, London…Here: Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, Donald Trump, Melania Trump. (Photo by Justin Goff Photos/Getty Images)
But for left-wing groups, the fêting of President Trump by the British state is a disaster to be resisted. While the President will not be coming into central London during his time in the United Kingdom, a protest is called outside Parliament on Wednesday, and another, smaller, protest is planned for Windsor town on Tuesday night, reports The Guardian.
A call to action by the left-wing group planning the London action and previously behind the 2019 ‘Trump Baby Blimp‘ has come under severe criticism for its use of fake news events, and for hyperbolic language that claims the coming of the U.S. President presages a fascist takeover of the United Kingdom. Fronted by left-wing activist Zoe Gardner, the dialogue stated: “There’s a darkness coming. It’s already swallowed America, and now it’s coming for us too”.
Among the fake news events reported in the clip were British cities being in flames as a fictional future government deported migrants, the creation of an anti-woke paramilitary force, and English flags being hung off Tower Bridge. As noted by The Daily Telegraph, Conservative shadow minister Chris Philp said the rhetoric was clearly dangerous, coming as it did in the wake of the assassination of Charlie Kirk, the American political activist.
Philip told the paper: “This is hysterical scaremongering by people who are clearly unhinged. The idea that welcoming the democratically elected leader of our closest ally could open the door to some sort of fascism is obviously absurd. These people need to reconnect with reality. This sort of stuff risks inflaming tensions and inciting violent mobs.
LONDON, ENGLAND – JUNE 04 2019: US President Donald Trump (R) and First Lady Melania Trump host a dinner at Winfield House for Prince Charles, Prince of Wales (L) and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, during their state visit on June 04, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson – WPA Pool/Getty Images)
“Given the fact President Trump has been the subject of an assassination attempt and we have seen a political murder in the past few days, it is perhaps time for people to dial down their absurd rhetoric.”
Protests or not, and despite the political crises being faced at home by the British government including losing its ambassador to the United States last week over an Epstein scandal, the rhetoric between London and Washington ahead of this week’s visit is overwhelmingly positive. President Trump himself was upbeat and complimentary before he boarded Air Force One, hailing “my friend” King Charles III and anticipating the “great honour” of the visit.
The British Embassy in Washington D.C. hailed in remarks ahead of President Trump arriving today the UK-US special relationship, ” built on 250 years of history, and decades of unparalleled trade, cultural links and defence and security collaboration”. The embassy previewed forthcoming deals to be signed in Windsor with President Trump in a statement seen by Breitbart News, citing “a world-leading tech partnership – with a focus on AI and quantum computing – that envisages wide ranging benefits to British and American citizens” and agreements on nuclear reactors.
Tonight, Air Force One is due to land at London Stansted airport on Tuesday night, used for visiting dignitaries because it is more isolated than other London airports and consequently easier to manage and defend for security purposes. There, President Trump and First Lady Melania will be met on the tarmac by Britain’s new Foreign Minister Yvette Cooper — new in job after another recent government probity scandal — as well as the American Ambassador to London and the King’s Lord-in-waiting, representing the monarch.
LONDON, ENGLAND – JUNE 03 2019: Queen Elizabeth II (second left) officially welcomes US President Donald Trump (C) and First Lady Melania Trump (L) (Photo by Samir Hussein/Samir Hussein/WireImage)
Wednesday is the main day for the state visit. In the morning, President Trump and Melania will be met at Windsor Castle by future King Prince William and his wife Princess Catherine who will accompany the President as he’s formally welcomed to the Castle by King Charles III and Queen Camilla. A Royal Salute will be fired at the castle, with another fired simultaneously in London at the Tower.
After a carriage ride through the Windsor estate — the route lined by troops in their formal uniforms, and the carriage escorted by the Household Cavalry — the Trumps will enjoy a private lunch with the King and Queen at Windsor before a viewing of America-related artefacts from the Royal collection.
Mid-afternoon on Wednesday, President Trump will lay a wreath on the tomb of Queen Elizabeth II at the castle’s Royal chapel before UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer joins the party for all to watch the Beating Retreat, a traditional British military ceremony.
Weather depending, there will be a fly-by of British and U.S. fighter jets before the main event of the day: the full state banquet in the magnificent St George’s Hall. The banquet is given in honour of the visiting President, who is traditionally invited to give a speech.
Thursday is to be more political. President Trump will depart Windsor Castle that morning having slept the night to travel to the country resident of the British Prime Minister. The pair will have bilateral talks, a private lunch, and a business leaders’ reception. During this time, the First Lady will view more of the Royal collection, including the world-famous Queen Mary’s Dolls House and the Windsor library.
LONDON, ENGLAND – JUNE 03 2019: US President Donald Trump (C) inspects a Guard of Honour at Buckingham Palace Photo by Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)
President Trump and Sir Keir will have a joint press conference on Thursday afternoon. The press conference may be the moment of greatest political danger for the British leader: the last meeting he had with President Trump saw Starmer apparently panic as the American teased him on his very questionable track record on respecting freedom of speech.
As reported in July:
Asked whether the pair would be discussing free speech — a realhot–buttontopic in the UK amid recent high-profile arrests for words and a massive crackdown on the use of the internet — President Trump immediately made clear he knew more than he would say and glanced meaningfully over his shoulder at Starmer as he replied to the journalist: “well free speech is very important, I don’t know if you’re referring to any place in particular, perhaps”.
President Trump even cocked his thumb over his shoulder towards the UK leader.
Prime Minister Starmer appeared to be all but panicking by this stage, breaking his usual composed mien with fidgeting hands and a rictus grin to speak over Trump: “we’ve had free speech for a very, very long time here, so we’re very proud of that”.
President Trump will fly back to Washington on Air Force One on Thursday evening, his flight due to leave Stansted around 1700 local time.
LONDON, ENGLAND – JUNE 03: Queen Elizabeth II with Prince Charles, Prince of Wales and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall welcome U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump during the Ceremonial Welcome in the Buckingham Palace Garden on June 3, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Chris Jackson/Getty Images)
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