LONDON — Britain has once again rolled out royal ceremony for Donald Trump, marking an extraordinary second state visit for the former U.S. president, who arrived Tuesday evening accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump.
Trump, now 79, appeared in high spirits as he stepped onto British soil, remarking to assembled press that the nation “feels like a very special place.” His comments set the tone for a week designed to reinforce ties between Washington and London — but not without controversy.
Royal Reception
King Charles III will welcome Trump on Wednesday with a carriage procession through Windsor and a banquet at the castle. The spectacle, complete with a flypast of U.K. and U.S. military aircraft, is being billed by officials as one of the grandest state welcomes in recent memory.
The schedule continues Thursday with a private meeting at Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s countryside retreat, a symbolic gesture underscoring Downing Street’s determination to keep Britain close to the unpredictable American leader.
Trump, meanwhile, was effusive in his praise of the monarch. “He’s been a friend of mine for a long time,” Trump told reporters upon arriving at the U.S. ambassador’s residence in London. “Everybody respects him, and they love him.”
The Politics Behind the Pomp
This visit cements Trump as the only American president to have been extended two full state invitations, the first having been hosted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2019. The gesture reflects Britain’s effort to safeguard its “special relationship” despite sharp policy disagreements.
Starmer’s government has leaned into the pageantry, mindful that Trump’s decisions on tariffs, NATO spending, and global conflicts could directly impact the U.K. His mother’s Scottish roots and personal investments in British golf courses have made him a figure of peculiar resonance in the country.
Tight Security and Loud Dissent
Away from the red carpets and banquet halls, the mood in parts of Britain has been far less welcoming. Demonstrators are preparing large-scale protests in central London, while images mocking Trump were projected onto Windsor Castle hours before his arrival.
Security has been tightened to unprecedented levels. Much of the visit will take place behind closed doors, keeping the public at a distance while police brace for confrontation with protesters.
Adding to the tension, the specter of the Jeffrey Epstein scandal continues to trail Trump, intensified by recent calls for his administration to release withheld documents. The controversy spilled into British politics when Prime Minister Starmer dismissed his Washington envoy over leaked correspondence with Epstein.
A High-Stakes Showcase
For Trump, the royal fanfare offers a reprieve from turbulence at home, including the fallout from the killing of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, which has ignited fierce political divisions in the U.S.
For Britain, the stakes are equally high. Hosting Trump with such grandeur is a calculated gamble: the hope of keeping his goodwill against the certainty of domestic criticism.
As one senior official put it, “This is more than a state visit. It’s a bet on the future of the alliance.”
