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Neither leader was tripped up by potentially embarrassing subjects, with both batting away questions over the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his ties to Trump and to Starmer’s former ambassador to the US.
‘Special relationship’ renewed
“We’ve renewed the special relationship for a new era,” Starmer told reporters.
Earlier, at the start of a business reception, some of the leading names in US and UK business were welcomed by the two leaders to unveil a record £150 billion ($307 billion) package of US investment into Britain from giants such as Microsoft and Blackstone, part of a wider package officials say will benefit both sides.
‘Priceless ties’
“The ties between our countries are priceless,” he said.
The first day of Donald Trump’s state visit to the UK concluded with a banquet at Windsor Castle. Source: AAP / Phil Noble
“We’ve done some things that financially are great for both countries … I think it’s an unbreakable bond we have, regardless of what we’re doing today. I think it’s unbreakable,” Trump said.
Starmer has pitched Britain as a destination for US investment, aligning it with the country’s financial services, tech, and energy sectors, so it can attract US capital and expand its infrastructure to drive economic growth.
Jimmy Kimmel and free speech
“Jimmy Kimmel is not a talented person. He had very bad ratings, and they should have fired him a long time ago. So, you know, you can call that free speech or not. He was fired for lack of talent.”
Starmer avoided a blowup on differing UK and US interpretations of free speech, after Trump said the UK had “laid the foundations of law, liberty, free speech and individual rights” under its empire and “must continue to stand for the values … of the English-speaking world”.
Disagreements on foreign policy
The US leader again expressed frustration that European nations were still buying Russian oil, but said Starmer was not part of their number.
Protesters marched through central London to oppose the presence and policies of Donald Trump during his state visit to the UK. Source: Getty / Guy Smallman
Trump also repeated his position that he disagreed with countries recognising Palestinian statehood — something Starmer has said Britain will do if Israel fails to relieve suffering in Gaza and reach a ceasefire in its war with Hamas.
“I have a disagreement with the prime minister on that score, one of our few disagreements, actually,” Trump said.
