On the second day of his state visit to the UK, U.S. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer signed a significant technology partnership, with Trump hailing the “unbreakable bond” between the two nations. After a day of royal pageantry with King Charles III at Windsor Castle, Trump flew to Starmer’s Chequers residence for talks on critical issues, including the conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.
During the signing ceremony, which was attended by numerous U.S. tech CEOs, Starmer noted that he and Trump were “leaders who genuinely like each other” and described the deal as “the biggest investment package of its kind in British history by a country mile.” Trump called the agreement “very big” and emphasized the strong relationship between the U.S. and its NATO ally.
This deal comes on the heels of pledges for £150 billion ($205 billion) in investment into the UK from major U.S. corporations like Microsoft, Google, and Blackstone.
Earlier in the day, Trump bid farewell to King Charles, whom he called a “great gentleman and a great king.” He then flew to Chequers, where he was greeted by Starmer and his wife, Victoria, to the sound of bagpipes. Inside the 16th-century manor, Starmer appealed to Trump’s admiration for Winston Churchill by giving him a tour of Churchill artifacts before their bilateral meeting. Starmer’s warm approach has seemingly led to some leniency in Trump’s tariff policy, with the prime minister noting that a trade deal signed in May was the “best” and the first of its kind with the U.S.
However, the discussions are not without tension. Both leaders are facing scrutiny related to the late U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Starmer is dealing with a political scandal after firing his U.S. ambassador over connections to Epstein, while new revelations about Trump’s relationship with Epstein have resurfaced. Differences also exist on foreign policy, particularly concerning Gaza, as Britain is reportedly preparing to recognize a Palestinian state, a move the U.S. has opposed.
Despite these issues, Trump was welcomed with full British pomp and circumstance, the second time he has received such an honor. At the state banquet, he called the visit “one of the highest honours of my life,” while King Charles III praised Trump’s peace efforts and support for Ukraine, though he also subtly stressed the importance of environmental protection.
First Lady Melania Trump also had her own engagements, meeting with Princess Catherine and Queen Camilla. Meanwhile, protests against Trump’s visit continued, with an estimated 5,000 people marching through central London.
