This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . The next check for changes will be
You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c5yxxpxe5qko
The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Keir Starmer gives Donald Trump state visit invitation from the King | Keir Starmer gives Donald Trump state visit invitation from the King |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| US President Donald Trump has been invited to the UK for a second state visit by the King. | |
| Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer used his trip to the White House to present Trump with the invitation letter from King Charles. | |
| Sir Keir said the president's last state visit in 2019 had been a "tremendous success" and that the invite for a second visit was "truly historic" and "unprecedented". | Sir Keir said the president's last state visit in 2019 had been a "tremendous success" and that the invite for a second visit was "truly historic" and "unprecedented". |
| Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office after reading the letter, Trump said he accepted the invite and that it would be an "honour" to visit the "fantastic" country. | Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office after reading the letter, Trump said he accepted the invite and that it would be an "honour" to visit the "fantastic" country. |
| He added that King Charles was a "beautiful man, a wonderful man". | He added that King Charles was a "beautiful man, a wonderful man". |
| Traditionally second-term US presidents are not offered a state visit and have instead been invited for tea or lunch with the monarch at Windsor Castle. | |
| King Charles' letter, which Trump showed to the cameras, read: "Quite apart from this presenting an opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues of mutual interest, it would also offer a valuable chance to plan a historic second state visit to the United Kingdom. | King Charles' letter, which Trump showed to the cameras, read: "Quite apart from this presenting an opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues of mutual interest, it would also offer a valuable chance to plan a historic second state visit to the United Kingdom. |
| "As you will know this is unprecedented by a US President. That is why I would find it helpful for us to be able to discuss, together, a range of options for location and programme content. | "As you will know this is unprecedented by a US President. That is why I would find it helpful for us to be able to discuss, together, a range of options for location and programme content. |
| "In so doing, working together, I know we will further enhance the special relationship between our two countries of which we are both so proud." | "In so doing, working together, I know we will further enhance the special relationship between our two countries of which we are both so proud." |
| Trump joked that he would have to check if the signature was real. | Trump joked that he would have to check if the signature was real. |
| The letter proposed meeting at either Dumfries House or Balmoral, both in Scotland, a country to which Trump has connections. | |
| His mother was born and brought up on the Hebridean island of Lewis. This year he is planning to open a new golf course in Aberdeenshire, to be named after his mother. | |
| Donald Trump was hosted by the late Queen during his three-day state visit in 2019 | |
| Sir Keir gave Trump the letter as the two leaders took questions from reporters ahead of talks expected to cover topics including the war in Ukraine. | Sir Keir gave Trump the letter as the two leaders took questions from reporters ahead of talks expected to cover topics including the war in Ukraine. |
| Speaking on the plane to the US, Sir Keir told reporters that a peace deal would not stop Vladimir Putin from invading Ukraine again, unless the US were able to provide security guarantees. | Speaking on the plane to the US, Sir Keir told reporters that a peace deal would not stop Vladimir Putin from invading Ukraine again, unless the US were able to provide security guarantees. |
| Asked if the US could provide such support, Trump said a proposed deal with Ukraine over access to critical minerals would provide "a backstop". | Asked if the US could provide such support, Trump said a proposed deal with Ukraine over access to critical minerals would provide "a backstop". |
| "We are a backstop because we will be over there, we will be working in the country," he said. | "We are a backstop because we will be over there, we will be working in the country," he said. |
| Since becoming prime minister, Sir Keir, who had previously been critical of the president, has sought to build a close relationship with Trump. | |
| However, he did feel compelled to contradict the US president when he accused Volodymyr Zelensky of being a dictator. | |
| Asked about his dictator comments, Trump said: "Did I say that, I can't believe I said that. Next question." | |
| Pressed over whether he would approve the UK's potential deal to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, Trump said: "We're going to have some discussions about that very soon, and I have a feeling it's going to work out very well. | Pressed over whether he would approve the UK's potential deal to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, Trump said: "We're going to have some discussions about that very soon, and I have a feeling it's going to work out very well. |
| "I think we'll be inclined to go along with your country," | "I think we'll be inclined to go along with your country," |
| In an interview before travelling to the US, Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the controversial deal would not go ahead unless the US supported it. | In an interview before travelling to the US, Foreign Secretary David Lammy said the controversial deal would not go ahead unless the US supported it. |
| Under the proposal, the UK would cede sovereignty of the Chagos archipelago to Mauritius but would still be able to use one of the islands, Diego Garcia, which includes a UK-US military airbase. |