President Trump set out for the UK on Tuesday. He mixes the national visit pageantry with policy efforts to expand nuclear energy.
A photo of Epstein on display outside Windsor Castle, a giant card
Huge photos of President Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein were on display outside Windsor Castle, England, prior to Trump’s visit to the state.
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump sets off for the UK on September 16 for a three-day swing to the UK, mixing with a pageantry of state visits and policy efforts to expand nuclear energy and invest in new technologies.
The president’s second state visit to Britain, the trip to London follows an invitation from the royal family that British Prime Minister Kiel Stahme extended when he visited the White House in February. Trump’s first UK visit took place in 2019 during his first term.
Things you need to know about Trump’s trips.
Place a wreath on Queen Elizabeth’s grave
After arriving Tuesday night, Trump and first lady Melania Trump visit Windsor Castle on Wednesday, September 17th to meet Prince and Prince of Wales, William and Catherine, according to a preview of the carefully choregraphed visit from the White House.
Charles III and Queen Camilla are scheduled to officially welcome the first couple, but Camila’s status is unknown after attending and attending the September 16 funeral for the Duchess of Kent when they recover from acute sinusitis.
Trump is scheduled to have lunch with the king and queen in the dining room in the castle state. The first couple then visit the Chapel of St. George and personally place the wreath at the grave of Queen Elizabeth II, who died in 2022 at the age of 96. Trump met the Queen during a previous state visit.
Trump will then join King, Queen, Priority and US military families for a ceremony on the turf east of the castle. The state banquet follows at the castle.
The protest is set to follow Trump during his visit. The Stop Trump Union said it organized a protest outside Windsor Parish Church. There, organizers hold signs that Trump is not welcome.
Trump holds bilateral meetings to press conference with British Prime Minister
Trump and Starmer are scheduled to hold a bilateral meeting on Thursday, September 18th. There will then be a business reception where both men make a statement and a joint press conference is held.
Trump and Priorities formed close relationships in the second term and overcame their harsh political differences. Starmer was a self-proclaimed socialist, and Trump pushed the Republican party even further to the right. They met last month when Trump visited Scotland and visited two golf properties he owns there.
Meanwhile, the First Lady and Queen tour the doll house of Queen Mary in Windsor Castle and the royal library. The First Lady later joins Frogmore House and the Princess of Wales at Gardens, meeting Dwaynefields, the chief scout of the British Scouts Association.
According to White House officials, the trip aims to highlight the historic relationship between the United States and Britain, and will also celebrate the 250th anniversary of the US’s establishment following the declaration of independence from the UK.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bescent, Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, White House Director Susie Wills and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller are among the White House’s top officials to join Trump on a trip.
Promotional technology, nuclear power generation
Visits are heavy in the pageantry, but Trump will serve several policy objectives, according to senior Trump administration officials who explained to reporters about the agenda on terms of anonymity.
Trump and Priorities will promote new science and technology partnerships between the two countries, including new investments of more than $10 billion. Authorities said several high-tech CEOs in the US were on hand to attend the meeting.
Additionally, the two countries are expected to announce cooperation and agreements on nuclear power, the region where Trump has prioritized.
This includes a plan for a partnership between US and UK companies to deploy nuclear reactors in the UK, and a memorandum between the two countries seeking to “rationalize” the regulatory process for the construction of nuclear power plants. The UK aims to achieve full independence from Russia’s nuclear fuel by 2028.
Trump officials and his British counterparts will also announce efforts to advance defence technology.
Ukraine, Steel Tariffs, Mandelson
Trump’s visit comes after Britain became the first country to reach a trade deal with a new Republican administration in May. The agreement includes US tariffs at a baseline of 10% on UK imports, reducing the 25% tariffs on automobile imports to 10%.
However, US tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from the UK remain at 25%. Starmer is trying to use a meeting with Trump to finalize an agreement to lower tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.
And while it is not officially on the agenda, it is certainly argued by Trump and Starme, Russia’s war with Ukraine.
Trump’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in August failed to lead to progress towards a peace deal, as he had hoped. In an exhibition of Ukraine’s unity, priorities joined the alliance of European allies’ leaders at the White House on August 18th, with Ukrainian President Volodymea Zelensky meeting with Trump.
Trump’s trip also clashed with a controversy involving Peter Mandelson, who was fired as British ambassador last week, after newly reported emails and other documents showed his former support for extraordinary financial figures, Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump, a longtime friend of Epstein, faces his own Epstein controversy over the refusal of the Justice Department, which refused to release all documents related to the government’s investigation of Epstein.
After saying goodbye to the King and Queen, Trump is scheduled to return to the United States in Air Force 1 on Thursday night, September 18th.
Three days later, on September 21, the president will depart for Arizona and attend a service ceremony for the late Trump ally, the conservative activist who was killed by the Assassins last week. Trump said he expects him to speak in service.
Please contact Joey Garrison at @JoeyGarrison.
