Trump to Make 'Unprecedented' Second State Visit to the UK from 16th to 18th

First-Ever Handwritten Royal Invitation
"Major Deals Expected in Technology and Nuclear Sectors"

President Donald Trump of the United States will pay a state visit to the United Kingdom on September 16 (local time) at the invitation of King Charles III.

Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (left), and Donald Trump, President of the United States. Photo by Reuters.

President Trump's state visit to the United Kingdom, which will last for three days until September 18, marks his second such visit following 2019. This is considered unusual, as the UK traditionally does not extend a state invitation to a U.S. president during their second term. Previously, former Presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush were invited by Queen Elizabeth II for tea or lunch, rather than a state visit, during their second terms.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer of the United Kingdom made a hurried visit to the White House in February, just five weeks after President Trump returned to office, to personally deliver King Charles III's state invitation. According to the Associated Press, the British royal family has never before extended two state invitations to the same individual, nor has an invitation ever been sent in the form of a letter personally signed by the monarch, making this an unprecedented event.

For President Trump, the British royal family is said to hold significance beyond that of a mere diplomatic partner. His mother, Mary Anne MacLeod Trump, who was born in Scotland, was reportedly mesmerized as she watched Queen Elizabeth II's coronation on television, leaving a deep impression on President Trump. Unlike his father Fred, who complained, "They're all swindlers," President Trump is known to have developed an admiration for the splendor and authority of the British royal family, influenced by his mother.

CNN reported that President Trump's first state visit to the United Kingdom in 2019 remains one of the most important moments of his first term. Fiona Hill, who was an advisor at the time, recalled that meeting Queen Elizabeth II was "the ultimate sign of success in life" for President Trump.

President Trump is scheduled to arrive in the United Kingdom on the afternoon of September 16 with First Lady Melania Trump. U.S. Ambassador to the UK Warren Stephens and Henry Hood, Viscount Hood, representing the King, will greet them. On September 17, the Trumps will travel to Windsor Castle, where they will first be welcomed by the Prince and Princess of Wales, followed by meetings with King Charles III and Queen Camilla. Gun salutes will be fired at Windsor Castle and the Tower of London. At the state banquet on the evening of September 17, both King Charles III and President Trump are expected to deliver speeches, and on the final day, September 18, President Trump and Prime Minister Starmer will hold a summit at Chequers, the Prime Minister's country residence.

The British media are paying close attention to whether Prime Minister Starmer can secure practical benefits from this unprecedented second state invitation to President Trump. The Starmer administration, just over a year into its term, has seen its approval ratings plummet, falling behind the right-wing populist Reform UK party. Key figures such as Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and the Ambassador to the United States have resigned amid controversy, putting the government increasingly on the defensive. As a result, the administration is focusing on economic revitalization to reverse its fortunes.

This visit is drawing even more attention as it comes shortly after Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, made provocative remarks at an anti-immigration rally in London. At the time, Musk called for the dissolution of Parliament and a change of government in a video address.

Meanwhile, according to AFP, the United States and the United Kingdom are expected to sign deals worth more than $10 billion in technology and nuclear projects during the state visit. A senior U.S. official stated that President Trump plans to bring a significant number of top American tech industry CEOs to the summit with Prime Minister Starmer at Chequers for a meeting. U.S. media have reported that CEOs from major companies such as Nvidia and OpenAI will be among the attendees. The British government previously announced plans to sign an agreement to significantly shorten the approval period for nuclear projects in both countries from three to four years down to two years, in order to boost private transactions and investment.