US Politics
Trump UK visit live: Starmer to meet US president today for crunch talks in bid to protect ‘special relationship’
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.
Read more
Sir Keir Starmer will meet Donald Trump for crunch talks today in a bid to protect the “special relationship” between the US and UK.
The British prime minister will host the US president at his grace and favour country home, Chequers, on Thursday, as the UK continues attempts to woo Mr Trump during his unprecedented second state visit to the country.
Sir Keir announced the prospect of some £150 billion flowing into the UK from big US companies such as Blackstone and Palantir overnight.
And as the two leaders meet at the estate in Buckinghamshire, they plan to sign a technology prosperity deal, touted as offering major investment by US tech firms in Britain, that will help to develop its AI capabilities.
Sir Keir will hope to focus on the strength of renewed transatlantic ties, with talks on trade, investment and foreign policy expected – but both sides are facing difficult questions.
When the two leaders face the press in a joint news conference later today, some big and potentially awkward topics are expected to be raised, from Jeffrey Epstein to the UK’s stance on Israel.
The talks come after the King and Mr Trump hailed the “special relationship” between the US and UK during speeches at a glittering state banquet in Windsor Castle last night.
The timetable for today
Donald Trump’s historic second state visit to the UK continues today. Here is an outline of the timetable for the day:
Tara Cobham18 September 2025 10:09
Trump expected to leave Windsor Castle shortly
Donald Trump is expected to leave Winsor Castle shortly.
The US president is set to travel to Chequers, the British prime minister’s country home, where he and Sir Keir Starmer will hold private talks before a press conference is put on later.
The first lady will remain in Windsor to spend some more time with the royal family.
Tara Cobham18 September 2025 10:04
Analysis: Starmer and Trump’s ‘special relationship’ could unravel over these divisive issues
As Donald Trump bid farewell to King Charles on Thursday morning after what the US president clearly considered to be a successful state trip, all eyes turned to the political arena where the UK-US “special relationship” will truly be put to the test.
But the prime minister knows that, as well as being a potential boost for him domestically, the two face clashing over difficult issues which could really test Trump’s description of the relationship. Among these are steel, tariffs, Ukraine and even the Jeffrey Epstein scandal which put paid to Lord Mandelson and threatens to drag in the US president. But, most pressing, is Gaza, a subject on which Sir Keir and Trump are in no way aligned.
The Independent’s David Maddox writes:
Tara Cobham18 September 2025 09:45
Minister defends Swinney’s attendance at state banquet following criticism over Gaza
A senior member of the Scottish Cabinet has defended John Swinney’s attendance at a state banquet held to honour US President Donald Trump.
Justice Secretary Angela Constance insisted people would expect the First Minister to “be representing Scotland at an international level”.
Her comments came in the wake of a social media post from SNP MP Chris Law – which has now been deleted – which said those attending the banquet on Wednesday would be “conceding that it’s acceptable to support genocide in Gaza”.
That came after a group of three independent experts commissioned by the United Nations’ Human Rights Council concluded Israel is committing genocide in the Palestinian territory.
Ms Constance said she does not know why SNP colleague Mr Law had posted such a comment, saying her focus this week had been on steering “historic” reforms to Scotland’s justice system through Holyrood.
“With the greatest respect I have not been glued to social media,” she told BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme on Thursday.
“The Scottish Government’s position on the suffering, the genocide in Gaza is very, very clear and we are playing our part to step up, call for justice, call for an end to that suffering and doing practical endeavours.”
She added it was “only this week we are seeing those that have been hurt and injured coming to Scotland” – with two children injured in the conflict travelling to the country for treatment, along with their families.
Ms Constance added: “People in Scotland also expect our First Minister to be representing Scotland at an international level, that is in the interests of all us.”
Tara Cobham18 September 2025 09:34
What will Starmer give to Trump today
The British prime minister will present the US president with a bespoke ministerial red box styled to take back to the White House.
Sir Keir Starmer is also set to show Donald Trump items from the Churchill archives.
Tara Cobham18 September 2025 09:16
US firms to invest £150 billion in UK as part of Trump’s state visit
American investment worth £150 billion has been unveiled as part of US President Donald Trump’s historic second state visit.
Some 7,600 “high quality” jobs will be created across the country as a result of the influx of cash from big US firms, according to the Government.
Sir Keir Starmer welcomed the announcement, ahead of a day of high-level discussions with Mr Trump at Chequers, the Prime Minister’s country home.
The PM said: “When we back British brilliance, champion our world-class industries, and forge deeper global alliances — especially with friends like the US — we help shape the future for generations to come and make people across the country better off.
“These investments are a testament to Britain’s economic strength and a bold signal that our country is open, ambitious and ready to lead.
“Jobs, growth and opportunity is what I promised for working people, and it’s exactly what this state visit is delivering.”
Among the firms pledging investment in the UK are asset management company Blackstone, which will invest £90 billion cash on top of £10 billion previously announced to develop data centres.
Others include investment firm Prologis, pledging £3.9 billion, and software company Palantir, pledging £1.5 billion.
Tara Cobham18 September 2025 09:09
Starmer to host Trump for final day of second state visit to Britain
Sir Keir Starmer will host Donald Trump at his grace and favour country home on Thursday, as the Prime Minister continues his campaign to woo the US president during his unprecedented second state visit to Britain.
The Prime Minister is hoping to keep the focus of the visit on an influx of American investment into the UK, all while both his Government and the Trump administration are plagued by scandals related to the paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Overnight, Sir Keir announced the prospect of some £150 billion flowing into the UK from big US companies such as Blackstone and Palantir.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves will host a business reception in Downing Street for bosses at top US and UK financial firms, including BlackRock, Barclays and Blackstone in a bid to highlight transatlantic econonomic cooperation.
As Sir Keir and Mr Trump meet at Chequers, the Prime Minister’s estate in Buckinghamshire, they also plan to sign a technology prosperity deal, touted as offering major investment by US tech firms in Britain, that will help to develop its AI capabilities.
The Prime Minister will present the US leader with a bespoke ministerial red box styled to take back to the White House, as well as showing him items from the Churchill archives.
The two men will also meet investors including bosses from GSK, Microsoft and Rolls-Royce while Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will also have face-to-face talks at Chequers.
Tara Cobham18 September 2025 09:07
Inside the lavish state banquet held for Donald Trump in Windsor Castle
Donald Trump was the guest of honour at a lavish state banquet in the historic halls of Windsor Castle on Wednesday evening.
The US president and First Lady Melania Trump experienced the pinnacle of royal hospitality, joining about 160 guests for an extravagant feast hosted by the King in the magnificent St George’s Hall.
There Mr Trump paid a heartfelt tribute to America’s relationship with the UK, saying the word “special does not begin to do it justice”, and claimed the nations were “two notes in one chord”.
The president’s words were echoed by Charles who spoke of the “enduring bond between our two great nations” that has been “long called ‘special’” and went on to describe how it grew from two sworn enemies fighting against each other in the American Revolutionary War.
Among those at the banquet were the chiefs of major American firms, including big names from the tech world Sam Altman of OpenAI, Tim Cook of Apple, and Jensen Huang, the founder of Nvidia.
The impressive St George’s Hall is the largest room in the castle at 55.5 metres long (180ft) and nine metres wide (29.5ft), and the 50 metre (164ft) table stretches its full length.
The dress code was tiaras and white tie – or national dress. Members of the royal family wore sashes and badges known as orders if they have been given them in recognition of royal service.
Speeches took place at the start at around 8.30pm when the King and Mr Trump both made a speech and proposed toasts to one another, followed by the playing of the national anthems.
A bespoke transatlantic whisky sour, garnished with a toasted marshmallow and a star-shaped biscuit “evoking the warmth of a fireside S’more” was served to guests. Although Mr Trump is a teetotaller, so did not indulge in sampling the cocktail nor the variety of vintage drinks on offer.
The sumptuous menu, written in French as is the custom, consisted of Hampshire watercress panna cotta with parmesan shortbread and quail egg salad, followed by organic Norfolk chicken ballotine wrapped in courgettes, with a thyme and savoury infused jus, and then bombe glacee cardinal, which is a vanilla ice cream bombe with Kentish raspberry sorbet interior with lightly poached victoria plums.
The end of the banquet was signalled by the arrival of 12 pipers processing round the room, a tradition started by Queen Victoria.
Tara Cobham18 September 2025 08:48
Government ‘standing up for British industry’, minister insists, despite 25% steel tariffs
The Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
The government is “standing up for British industry”, a government minister has insisted, amid growing questions over the decision to shelve plans to scrap US tariffs on UK steel.
Asked whether hopes had been abandoned of securing the reduction in the levy, which stands at 25 per cent, chief secretary to the Treasury James Murray told Sky News: “Let me put it in context, because we’re obviously the only country to avoid the 50% tariffs and that’s as a result of the deal that the prime minister struck with President Trump.”
It was put to him that the tariffs were higher than they were a year ago, to which he responded: “We’re standing up for British industry and the context is the 50 per cent tariffs and were the only country to avoid them.”
He said the “national interest will drive the prime minister” at “every turn.”
Tara Cobham18 September 2025 08:27
Trump heads to Chequers for talks with Starmer
Donald Trump will leave Windsor this morning for Chequers, the prime minister’s official country residence in Buckinghamshire, where he is due to hold talks with Sir Keir Starmer.
Chequers, a sixteenth-century manor house in Aylesbury, is a grace-and-favour residence granted to each serving prime minister. It has long been used to host foreign leaders and high-level cabinet meetings – with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky among its recent visitors in 2023.
This will not be Trump’s first trip to the estate. During his 2018 working visit to Britain, he met then-prime minister Theresa May for talks at the same venue.
Today’s return marks a significant moment in his second state visit, with discussions expected to focus on investment, technology partnerships and foreign policy priorities.
Shweta Sharma18 September 2025 08:04