Donald Trump urged Keir Starmer to call in the military to stop boats crossing the Channel, warning Britain could be destroyed from within by illegal immigration if tougher action is not taken. The comments came at a joint press conference at Chequers during Trump's two-day state visit, where he touted the close bond between the United States and the United Kingdom and described his own border policies as a model for London.
Starmer said Labour would take the Channel crisis seriously. He said there was no silver bullet, but noted that the first migrant was sent back to France on Thursday under a new one-in, one-out deal and that more than 30,000 arrivals have been recorded this year.
During the briefing, Trump urged the UK to scale back Labour's Net Zero target and to drill, baby, drill, arguing that wind energy should not be relied on to meet growing demand. He dismissed wind farms as a disaster and said the UK's energy needs could require doubling output, while Starmer said the country would continue to use oil and gas for many years and would pursue renewables alongside traditional power.
Trump criticized Sir Keir's plan to recognise a Palestinian state, suggesting it would not help secure the release of Israeli hostages; Starmer said the move was part of a process toward a two-state solution and not a reward for Hamas. He noted that the Palestinian issue would be handled carefully within the broader context of Ukraine and the Middle East, where both leaders discussed security and humanitarian concerns.
The technology centerpiece of the trip was a deal that officials said would bring roughly £150 billion of investment from US firms into the UK's AI infrastructure, though government aides provided few specifics on what concessions Britain would make in return. Trump also hinted that sanctions on Vladimir Putin could come if the Russian leader failed to engage in a peace process, while acknowledging that some European states still buy Russian oil and gas.
In the run-up to the visit, Downing Street had fretted that the event could be overshadowed by controversy surrounding Lord Mandelson and his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. Trump said he did not know Mandelson, while Starmer defended the Labour peer's dismissal after new information emerged since his appointment, a moment that drew a rapid pivot from both men.
The visit also featured a glittering Windsor Castle dinner and a one-on-one session at Chequers focused on Ukraine and the Middle East. Earlier in the trip, the leaders were photographed at Stansted Airport as Trump prepared to depart, and the day ended with ceremonial pomp that contrasted with broader questions about energy and foreign policy. As the two sides left Chequers, officials indicated that discussions would continue on tariffs and trade, with no final agreement announced on steel tariffs at this stage.