US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump touched down in London on Tuesday for a historic second state visit to the United Kingdom, marked by royal pageantry, trade deals and political controversy.Trump, who will be hosted by King Charles III at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, described the monarch as “an elegant gentleman” who “represents the country so well.” He told reporters before leaving Washington that Windsor was “the ultimate” setting for such a visit.Also read: Trump lands in UK, says visit going to be a ‘very big thing’The US president is also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at Chequers for talks expected to centre on trade, security and international conflicts.
Royal spectacle and public protests
The state visit comes with all the trappings of pomp and ceremony. On Wednesday, Trump will be greeted with Britain’s largest guard of honour for a visiting leader, including 1,300 service personnel, a carriage procession, and a flypast by F-35 jets and the Red Arrows. A glittering banquet in St George’s Hall will serve as the centrepiece of the royal welcome.Not everyone is celebrating. Demonstrators gathered in Windsor on Tuesday evening, chanting and waving placards, while anti-Trump activists projected images of the president alongside disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein onto Windsor Castle. Thames Valley Police later confirmed four arrests over the unauthorised display.Locals remain divided. Some see the visit as a boost for tourism, while others object to Trump’s presence. “Trump spreads hate and division everywhere he goes,” Joe, 49, from nearby Egham told news agency AFP. Others were more welcoming: “It attracts more visitors, particularly from America. We need that,” said Simon Porter, 68.
Trade, technology and diplomacy
Alongside the royal pageantry, Trump’s visit is being framed as a show of economic and political cooperation. A new “Tech Prosperity Deal” was announced as the president landed, with US companies pledging £31 billion in UK investments. Microsoft committed £22 billion to artificial intelligence and cloud infrastructure, Google unveiled a £5 billion plan to boost cybersecurity and jobs, and Nvidia joined forces with OpenAI and UK firms to create a sovereign AI platform.Finance giants including Bank of America and Citi Group promised £1.75 billion for UK expansion, while Britain and the US agreed to accelerate nuclear power projects and collaborate on space technology.Starmer’s office said the visit would demonstrate the enduring strength of the transatlantic partnership. “The UK-US relationship is the strongest in the world, built on 250 years of history,” a government statement read.
Ukraine and foreign policy tensions
Trump arrives with sharp words on global conflicts. Speaking before his flight, he urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to “make a deal” with Russia to end the war, while blasting European nations for buying Russian energy.“Well, he has to get going and make a deal. Zelenskyy will have to make a deal, and Europe has to stop buying oil from Russia. They talk, but they have to stop buying oil from Russia,” Trump said.He described the war as one that “should have never happened,” adding: “I’ve stopped seven wars in eight months. I thought it would be easiest, but it is not. There is tremendous hatred between Zelenskyy and Putin. But we’re going to get it.”
