President Donald Trump arrived in the United Kingdom on Tuesday for a state visit that mixes royal ceremony, trade discussions and security coordination between the two countries.
Landing at Stansted Airport, Trump received an official welcome on the runway that included Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper. He is spending the night at the US ambassador's residence, Winfield House, ahead of a day of ceremonies at Windsor Castle that will feature a large military presence, a carriage procession and a state banquet in St George's Hall.
The visit will include what British officials described as the largest guard of honour ever assembled for a state visit, with about 1,300 service personnel from the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force taking part. A joint flypast by US F‑35 jets and the RAF Red Arrows is planned over Windsor, a display of military cooperation to be watched by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and the visiting president.
Royal hosts will include King Charles, Queen Camilla and other senior royals, with Prince William and the Princess of Wales taking part in the ceremonial welcome. Officials said there will be a gun salute, inspection of troops and a carriage procession within the Windsor estate. The state banquet in St George's Hall is expected to feature speeches by the king and the president and menus intended to reflect the so‑called special relationship between the two countries.
Trump, who described the visit as "an honour," said before departing Washington that his relationship with the UK was "very good" and referred to King Charles as "my friend," calling him "such an elegant gentleman." He also signalled a willingness to work on trade arrangements, saying: "They want to see if they can refine the trade deal a little bit… I'm into helping them."
As the visit began, major investment announcements accompanied the arrival. US technology firms committed about £31 billion in the UK, including a £22 billion investment from Microsoft, aimed at cooperation on artificial intelligence, quantum computing and nuclear technology. Alphabet, Google's parent company, separately announced a £5 billion commitment to UK artificial intelligence research. British officials said an agreement would also be signed to accelerate the development of nuclear power.
Sir Keir Starmer welcomed the deals, saying the investments could help create skilled jobs and boost incomes. Discussions during the visit are also expected to press for continued US commitment to NATO and support for Ukraine, matters British officials described as central to the diplomatic agenda.
The visit has prompted protests in Windsor. Demonstrators projected images linking Trump with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein onto the castle walls. A heavy security operation has been put in place, and organisers said most official events will take place within the Windsor estate or at the prime minister's country residence, Chequers, limiting public visibility of ceremonial moments.
Officials said trade issues such as the current 25% US tariff on some UK steel exports will not be resolved during this visit, though that rate remains lower than tariffs facing many other countries. The White House and No. 10 Downing Street framed the week as a mix of ceremonial statecraft and practical negotiations aimed at deepening US‑UK cooperation. The state visit is scheduled to conclude on Thursday afternoon.
