US President Donald Trump has been invited to the UK for a second state go to by the King.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer used his journey to the White Home to current Trump with the invitation letter from King Charles.
Sir Keir mentioned the president’s final state go to in 2019 had been a “large success” and that the invite for a second go to was “really historic” and “unprecedented”.
Chatting with reporters within the Oval Workplace after studying the letter, Trump mentioned he accepted the invite and that it could be an “honour” to go to the “incredible” nation.
He added that King Charles was a “lovely man, an exquisite man”.
Historically second-term US presidents should not provided a state go to and have as a substitute been invited for tea or lunch with the monarch at Windsor Citadel.
King Charles’ letter proposed a gathering to debate particulars of the state go to at both Dumfries Home or Balmoral, each in Scotland, a rustic to which Trump has connections.
His mom was born and introduced up on the Hebridean island of Lewis. This 12 months he’s planning to open a brand new golf course in Aberdeenshire, to be named after his mom.
The letter, which Trump confirmed to the cameras, learn: “Fairly aside from this presenting a chance to debate a variety of problems with mutual curiosity, it could additionally supply a precious likelihood to plan a historic second state go to to the UK.
“As you’ll know that is unprecedented by a US president. That’s the reason I’d discover it useful for us to have the ability to focus on, collectively, a spread of choices for location and programme content material.
“In so doing, working collectively, I do know we are going to additional improve the particular relationship between our two international locations of which we’re each so proud.”
Trump joked that he must verify if the signature was actual.
At a joint information convention later, Trump mentioned a commerce deal between the US and UK may occur “in a short time” and will see the UK avoiding the sort of tariffs the president has been threatening on different international locations.
Sir Keir mentioned the 2 international locations would start work on a brand new financial deal which might be centred on the potential of synthetic intelligence.
Throughout his go to Sir Keir additionally hopes to affect Trump as he seeks to succeed in a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia.
Talking on the aircraft to the US, Sir Keir advised reporters {that a} deal wouldn’t cease Vladimir Putin from invading Ukraine once more, until the US had been in a position to present safety ensures.
Requested if the US may supply such assist, Trump mentioned a proposed cope with Ukraine over entry to essential minerals would offer “a backstop”.
“We’re a backstop as a result of we might be over there, we might be working within the nation,” he mentioned.
Since changing into prime minister, Sir Keir, who had beforehand been essential of the president, has sought to construct an in depth relationship with Trump.
Nonetheless, he did really feel compelled to contradict the US president when he accused Volodymyr Zelensky of being a dictator.
Requested about his dictator feedback, Trump mentioned: “Did I say that? I can not consider I mentioned that. Subsequent query.”
Pressed over whether or not he would approve the UK’s potential deal handy over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, Trump mentioned: “We will have some discussions about that very quickly, and I’ve a sense it may work out very properly.
“I feel we’ll be inclined to associate with your nation,”
In an interview after arriving within the US on Wednesday, International Secretary David Lammy mentioned the controversial deal wouldn’t go forward until the US supported it.
Underneath the proposal, the UK would cede sovereignty of the Chagos archipelago to Mauritius however would nonetheless be capable of use one of many islands, Diego Garcia, which features a UK-US army airbase.
