Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hailed £250 billion in mutual investment flowing across the Atlantic between the United Kingdom and the United States agreed today as President Donald Trump spoke of the most “natural partnership in the world”.
The Royal treatment is over for President Donald Trump after his day at the historic and storied Windsor Castle as a guest of King Charles III as he was whisked by Marine One helicopter to Chequers, the British Prime Minister’s official country residence for a day of political and business meetings.
After a private bilateral talk between the two leaders — the contents of which was not made public but which is anticipated to have touched on the Ukraine War, the environment, the Gaza war, and Britain’s freedom of speech crisis — Trump and Starmer attended a deception for business leaders. Addressing the marquee, Prime Minister Starmer said: “What a day. £250 billion flowing both ways across the Atlantic, it is the biggest investment package of its kind in British history by a country mile.”
He said the business relationship across the Atlantic was fuelled by “the potency of this partnership, U.S. capital and entrepreneurial combined with British ideas an ingenuity”.
The two leaders signed what Starmer called a landmark “tech-prosperity deal”. President Trump said it brought “billions of dollars of opportunities” and, crucially would give the United States “better access to the UK’s world-class aerospace supply-chain, which really is world-class. A lot of people don’t understand the importance of that particular asset”.
President Trump said: “there’s no more natural partnership in the world, together we are building up the industrial capacity of our countries which is crucial to our defence, and we work so well in defence.”
Of the sectors impacted by the deal, President Trump continued: “we’re taking the next logical step with the historic agreement on science and technology partnerships and this will create new government, academic, and private sector cooperation in sectors such as A.I., which is taking over the world… quantum computing, fusion, 6G, civil nuclear energy”.
Cracking a joke, as he prepared to sign the document President Trump looked up at his cabinet colleagues Scott Bessent and Howard Lutnick and asked: “Should I sign this Howard? Scott? If the deal’s no good I’m blaming you.”
A joint press conference between President Trump and Sir Keir is expected at Chequers around 1420 (0920 ET). The President is expected to depart a London airport to return to Washington D.C. around 1700 (1200 ET) Thursday afternoon.
This story is developing, more follows.
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