On February 27, 2025, during a White House meeting, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer extended an invitation to President Donald Trump for a second state visit to the United Kingdom. This was the first face-to-face meeting between the two leaders.
Starmer, during their meeting in the Oval Office, emphasized the rarity of this invitation, stating, “This is really special. This has never happened before. This is unprecedented, and I think that just symbolizes the strength of the relationship between us.” He also referred to Trump’s previous state visit as a “tremendous success.”
Trump graciously accepted the invitation from the British monarch, King Charles III, stating, “On behalf of our wonderful first lady Melania and myself, the answer is yes, and we look forward to being there and honoring the King and honoring, really, your country. Your country is a fantastic country, and it’ll be our honor to be there.”
No specific date for the visit has been confirmed yet. This invitation is seen as a significant diplomatic move, as second-term U.S. presidents are usually not given such honors by the British monarchy.
Trump’s inaugural state visit to the UK was in June of 2019, during Queen Elizabeth II’s reign, making him one of only three U.S. presidents to receive a state visit during her 70-year reign. This second invitation sets a precedent, making Trump the first sitting U.S. president to be invited twice for state visits by British monarchs in recent history.
In his invitation letter, King Charles suggested that they could meet at locations such as Dumfries House or Balmoral in Scotland, which are near Trump’s golf courses, to discuss plans for the formal visit. The king expressed interest in strengthening the “special relationship” between their countries.
During their meeting in the Oval Office, Trump mentioned that he and Starmer have “a great relationship,” despite their political differences. Trump acknowledged Starmer as a “very tough negotiator,” while Starmer emphasized their mutual respect for each other’s nations.
After French President Emmanuel Macron, Starmer is the second European leader to have an in-person discussion with Trump this week about a potential deal with Russia to resolve the Ukraine conflict. European allies are seeking security assurances for Ukraine in any peace settlement.
Starmer revealed plans to increase UK military spending to 2.5% ahead of his meeting with Trump. He expressed his hope for the US to help ensure a lasting peace in the Ukraine conflict and provide a “backstop.” He also warned that any peace deal “can’t be peace that rewards the aggressor.”
Following the meeting, Trump stated that Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed no issues with the presence of European soldiers in Ukraine. However, he proposed discussing specific arrangements after a deal. Trump has not yet detailed America’s role in a Ukraine post-peace settlement but hinted at a potential American commercial presence to stabilize the situation.
The following day, Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to sign a mineral deal. It was intended to create a US-Ukraine fund for extracting Ukrainian critical minerals. The economic agreement is perceived as a means for Ukraine to repay some of the $120 billion in aid provided by the U.S. during the three-year conflict.
Trump suggested that American workers’ presence in Ukraine for the mineral extraction project would provide “automatic security” for the country. However, he seemed to rule out Ukraine’s prospects for NATO membership.
The meeting with Zelenskyy was tense and argumentative, leading to an abrupt end and the cancellation of a planned press conference. Trump said Zelenskyy could come back to the White House once he was ready to pursue peace. The discussion escalated into a heated argument, with Vice President JD Vance expressing doubts about Zelenskyy’s appreciation for U.S. assistance during the war. The potential mineral deal did not happen.
Despite Trump’s complicated relationship with the UK, including significant protests during his first term and public criticism of then-London mayor Sadiq Khan, he has maintained warm relations with the British Royal Family. This was evident during a 2024 meeting with Prince William at the ceremonial reopening of Paris’ Notre Dame Cathedral.
