By Lucy Caulkette-
During a press conference at his official country residence, Chequers, Donald Trump delivered a series of outspoken remarks that marked the end of his second historic state visit to the UK. The US president revealed that Vladimir Putin had “really let me down” amid stalled peace efforts in Ukraine. He also gave some blunt advice to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on illegal migration, suggesting he should use the military to stop it. These comments followed a high-profile visit that saw Trump meet with British royalty and sign a new technology deal with the UK government.
US president Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister, Sir Keir Starmer Pic: Reuters
Speaking about the Ukraine war, Trump expressed his disappointment that the conflict was not yet settled. He claimed he thought it would be the easiest conflict to resolve because of his relationship with President Putin. The US president told reporters that the Russian leader had “really let me down.” Sir Keir Starmer, for his part, said that Putin had “shown his true face” in recent days and that they needed to put “pressure” on the Russian president.
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Illegal Migration and Other Comments from the Trump UK Visit
During the Trump UK visit, the president did not shy away from controversial topics. He told the prime minister that he would “stop” illegal migration in the UK, saying, “it doesn’t matter if you call out the military.” Trump added that he believed illegal migration was “going to destroy… countries from within.” He also claimed that in the last three months “zero people” had entered the US illegally. Sir Keir pointed to the UK’s own recent actions, including the first return of a migrant under a pilot scheme with France. A man who arrived in the UK by small boat in August was put on a flight to France on Thursday. The Home Office has since confirmed that more flights are scheduled.
Later, on his flight home on Air Force One, Trump made more headlines. He claimed he asked that London Mayor Sadiq Khan not be invited to the state banquet at Windsor Castle, saying, “I didn’t want him there.” Trump also called Khan “among the worst mayors in the world” and claimed crime in London was “through the roof.” On the war in Gaza, he simply stated, “Simply, I want all hostages to be released now.” Trump also disagreed with Sir Keir’s plan for the UK to recognize a Palestinian state. He also spoke on energy policy, urging the UK to exploit its North Sea oil and gas resources. This, he said, was a better approach than what he called a “very expensive joke,” in reference to wind power. The UK and US also signed a technology prosperity deal, offering major investment by US tech firms to boost Britain’s AI capabilities.
You can read more about the prime minister’s comments on the visit in the official government statement. The visit highlighted the complexities of the special relationship between the two nations, blending formal diplomacy with highly publicized personal comments.
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The Guardian: Donald Trump says he asked that Sadiq Khan not be invited to state banquet
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