Donald Trump is expected to raise concerns about free speech and the regulation of technology firms during a three-day state visit to the United Kingdom this week, officials and aides said, even as Prime Minister Keir Starmer seeks to emphasise trade and a slate of nuclear energy agreements.
Allies of the prime minister said Starmer hoped to centre talks on trade and the removal of tariffs, but a US source told The Independent that “there is absolutely no doubt that free speech is going to be one of, if not the top issue, when the two hold talks.” The visit, from Sept. 17 to 19, will include a ceremonial welcome and state banquet at Windsor Castle hosted by the King and the first lady, Melania Trump.
The visit marks the second state visit to the UK by Trump, an unusual diplomatic honour for a US president. He was received with a state visit in 2019 and made a private trip to Scotland earlier this summer. Officials say protests are expected; the Stop Trump Coalition has planned a mass demonstration in central London on the first day of the trip and a further protest near Windsor Castle.
Starmer and his team have sought to foreground a package of bilateral economic and energy measures. The UK and US are set to sign the Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy during the visit, an agreement designed to speed licensing and enable closer cooperation on advanced nuclear projects. The government says the pact will reduce regulatory delays for companies seeking to build nuclear plants, trimming typical licensing timelines from around three to four years to roughly two.
Commercial deals announced to coincide with the visit include plans by X-Energy and Centrica to build up to 12 advanced modular reactors at a site in Hartlepool, which supporters say could power as many as 1.5 million homes and create up to 2,500 jobs. Another proposal would see Holtec, EDF and Tritax develop advanced data centres at the former Cottam coal-fired power station in Nottinghamshire, powered by small modular reactors. Last Energy and DP World plan to install a micro-modular nuclear plant backed by roughly £80 million in private investment to supply clean power for DP World’s London Gateway port expansion. Urenco and Radiant intend to sign a deal to supply high-assay low-enriched uranium (HALEU) fuel to the US market, while TerraPower and KBR will carry out UK site evaluations and feasibility studies for Natrium reactor technology.
The prime minister’s official spokesman described the UK-US relationship as “one of the most enduring alliances in modern history,” rooted in shared values and economic ties. He noted the two countries already have more than £1.2 trillion invested in each other’s economies and said the state visit would “reach new heights.”
Free speech and the regulation of online platforms are expected to be prominent during bilateral discussions. Some senior US figures, including Vice-President J.D. Vance, have previously criticised the UK’s Online Safety Act, which aims to protect children under 18 from inappropriate material on the internet. Critics on the right and far right have argued the law can be used to censor American citizens and businesses, a contention that UK ministers have rejected.
The issue has been heightened by recent events in the UK. A large rally in central London organised by Tommy Robinson drew more than 100,000 people, prompting Business Secretary Peter Kyle to say the demonstration showed freedom of speech and association “are alive and well in this country.” Conservative Party figures have also moved to make the topic a domestic political issue: Kemi Badenoch announced a commission she will chair to examine whether restrictions on speech—on campuses, social media and broadcasting—are necessary and in line with British values. The task force, to be led by Toby Young, is due to report by the end of the year.
The commission’s announcement follows a string of high-profile incidents that have fuelled debate about speech and safety. The death of US conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who was shot dead last week while attending an event, and the recent arrest of writer Graham Linehan at Heathrow on suspicion of inciting violence for posts on the social media platform X, have been cited by some commentators and politicians as evidence that the balance between safety and expression is contested.
Opposition and activist groups have already signalled plans to demonstrate during the visit, and security officials in both countries are preparing for protests around state events. During Trump’s 2019 state visit, thousands turned out in London in opposition, and organisers say they expect similar mobilisations this week.
Labour officials said they will press on with trade talks and the energy deals while managing the diplomatic and domestic fallout from any exchanges on speech and tech regulation. Shadow energy minister Andrew Bowie said recent announcements build on earlier government efforts to expand nuclear capacity, while Conservative critics argued the government should have moved faster.
Diplomatic advisers say the visit will test the ability of both leaders to compartmentalise areas of disagreement while pursuing concrete economic cooperation. The signing of the Atlantic Partnership for Advanced Nuclear Energy and accompanying commercial agreements are scheduled to be the headline outcomes, but conversations about technology regulation and freedom of expression are likely to feature prominently in bilateral and public remarks.
Protests, planned ministerial meetings and the state banquet at Windsor Castle will all form part of the packed schedule. Officials from both countries said they expected talks to cover a broad range of issues beyond trade and energy, including security co-operation and transatlantic economic ties, as the two allies seek to reaffirm the depth of their partnership amid political tensions.
The state visit will conclude on Sept. 19, after which officials on both sides will assess the outcomes of the agreements announced and the political implications of any public exchanges about free speech and internet regulation.