Back in the before times, Britain’s prime minister was almost always given the “honor” of being the first foreign leader to visit a new American president. That honor reflected the British-American “special relationship.” That stopped at some point, and Donald Trump has already received Emmanual Macron, King Abdullah, Benjamin Netanyahu, Narendra Modi and Shigeru Ishiba at the White House in his first five weeks in office. On Thursday, Britain’s PM Keir Starmer finally visited. There had been a lot of drama ahead of the meeting, mostly from the British tabloids. The tabloids were convinced that Trump would spit on Starmer as soon as they met, because Starmer and his Labour allies had openly hoped for Kamala Harris to win the election. I guess someone forgot to tell Trump about that, because he seemingly received Starmer with no hard feelings. Starmer was practically dripping with sycophancy, which is probably why Trump treated him somewhat decently. Plus, Starmer came bearing a letter from King Charles.
King Charles has invited Donald Trump to make an unprecedented second state visit to the UK in a letter handed to the US president by Keir Starmer. Queen Elizabeth II hosted Trump on a state visit in 2019. Precedent for second-term US presidents who have already made a state visit is usually tea or lunch with the monarch at Windsor Castle, as was the case for George W Bush and Barack Obama.
Trump received the invitation during a meeting at the White House on Thursday, with Starmer presenting the letter from the king. In the letter, which Trump showed to the cameras in the Oval Office, Charles suggested he and Trump could meet beforehand at Dumfries House or Balmoral, which are near Trump’s golf courses in Scotland, to discuss the plans for the much grander visit.
The letter, partially obscured by Trump’s hand, read: “I can only say that it would be … pleasure to extend that invitation once again, in the hope that you … some stage be visiting Turnberry and a detour to a relatively near neighbour might not cause you too much inconvenience. An alternative might perhaps be for you to visit Balmoral. There is much on both estates which I think you might find interesting, and enjoy – particularly as my foundation at Dumfries House provides hospitality skills-training for young people who often end up as staff on your own establishments!”
The letter continued: “Quite apart from this presenting an opportunity to discuss a wide range of issues of mutual interest, it would also offer a valuable chance to plan a historic second state visit to the United Kingdom. As you will know this is unprecedented by a US President. That is why I would find it helpful for us to be able to discuss, together, a range of options for location and programme content. In so doing, working together, I know we will further enhance the special relationship between our two countries of which we are both so proud.”
The letter was hand-signed by the king: “Yours Most Sincerely, Charles.”
During Trump’s meeting with Starmer in the Oval Office, the president said of the UK: “It’s a very special place and [Starmer is] a special man – and the United Kingdom is a wonderful country that I know very well, I’m there a lot. I’ll be going there and we expect to see each other in the near future – we’ll be announcing it.”
While it’s clear that Charles poured on the charm, he would not have done so without the explicit approval of Downing Street and the Foreign Office. Downing Street and Buckingham Palace are entirely united in this situation: Starmer is using the trappings of monarchy to impress Trump and keep Trump happy, plus Charles likes feeling important and politically vital. Additionally, Trump cut off Starmer & a journalist when Starmer was trying to minimize Trump’s unhinged threats to “annex Canada.”
Keir Starmer passed on an invitation letter from King Charles to Trump. He made him read it out.
At this rate, he may as well twerk for him. pic.twitter.com/yEcuEugQJD
— Mukhtar (@I_amMukhtar) February 27, 2025
Starmer: You mentioned Canada, I think you’re trying to find a divide that doesn’t exist
Trump: That’s enough! pic.twitter.com/NF3wHaA45X
— FactPost (@factpostnews) February 27, 2025
Photos courtesy of Backgrid.
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- Washington, DC – United States President Donald J. Trump greets British Prime Minister Keir Starmer outside the West Wing Lobby of the White House in Washington, DC. Pictured: Donald Trump, Keir Starmer BACKGRID USA 27 FEBRUARY 2025 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Washington, DC – United States President Donald J. Trump greets British Prime Minister Keir Starmer outside the West Wing Lobby of the White House in Washington, DC. Pictured: Donald Trump, Keir Starmer BACKGRID USA 27 FEBRUARY 2025 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
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- Washington, DC – United States President Donald J. Trump greets British Prime Minister Keir Starmer outside the West Wing Lobby of the White House in Washington, DC. Pictured: Donald Trump, Keir Starmer BACKGRID USA 27 FEBRUARY 2025 BYLINE MUST READ: MediaPunch / BACKGRID USA: +1 310 798 9111 / usasales@backgrid.com UK: +44 208 344 2007 / uksales@backgrid.com *UK Clients – Pictures Containing Children Please Pixelate Face Prior To Publication*
As a Canadian and member of the Commonwealth this makes me sick. I didn’t think I needed another reason to despise ole sausage fingers but here we are!
Seeing Charles (and likely William) laughing and palling around with trump is going to absolutely end any respect for the UK and the monarchy in Canada. No one really cares in general and we mostly ignore the Windsors but people here are angry (and scared) now. We’ve cancelled Gretkzy for heavens sake. So maybe that’s a side benefit? But yah don’t plan any royal visits to Canada anytime soon.
Europe supports you, Canada! There’s a lot of anger here on how your country was treated. People already started shunning Tesla and cancelling X etc.
And so do the many nice Americans I know.
Same here, I’m feeling like we cannot count on the UK to support us against annexation by Trump. I’m genuinely scared like WTF they aren’t on our side? They’re ok with us being invaded? Charles in on our money ffs.
Economic blackout day today! Don’t order from Amazon, or the other large retailers who have supported Trump. Better yet, cancel your Prime subscription. Next national day of protest is March 4!
https://www.npr.org/2025/02/27/nx-s1-5311972/economic-blackout-february-28-explainer
I cancelled my Amazon and Prime membership as soon as the orange turd got into office. I’ve been buying strictly Canadian produce. I will not travel to the US until he’s out of office. I signed the petition to have Muskrat’s Canadian citizenship revoked. These may seem like little things but the petition is now in the hundreds of thousands of signatures. Keep it up!
I don’t have Amazon, but I bought local today instead of a large brand.
Don’t despair. More and more people are waking up all around the world.
Don’t buy from Amazon.
So, Charles is taking after his great-uncle David and paling around with a Nazi.
Wasn’t an article written in the daily fail stating that William was supposed to be going since he’s the 🆕 global statesman for Britain
I’m still waiting on Catherine Vogue spread which daily fail also said was going to happen
I would not be so harsh. What other approach would you suggest? UK and France are flattering and charming him to ensure he listens to them and their arguments, when it comes to Ukraine, Gaza etc. I would bet that Charles as head of the Commonwealth will also use one of those conversations „among neighbors“ to address Canada. I don’t see what other approach would work. Europe is not in a strong position to bully him back and he does not listen to arguments. If Charles‘ „paling around“ means that Trump listens more to UK than to Putin that is fine for me, and I consider that he is taking one for the team.
I have to say I agree with you. These guys are swallowing the vomit in their mouths to not rock the boat of an unhinged, senile, unpredictable, petty, inexplicably powerful man.
I really don’t see that they have any choice. Trumps moves since he took office are truly the stuff of nightmares for the members of NATO along with the housecleaning in the armed forces.
They are trying to shore up alliances in case trump goes off piste.
These are unprecedented times and while that letter was a master class in sycophancy I think they are all going to walk on eggshells to kiss T/Musk ass until such a point comes that makes it untenable. They are still hoping for things to turn out ok in spite of this administration. But yikes.
Canada is part of the Commonwealth, where is Charles support for us?
It’s not even the commonwealth, but the fact that he is literal head of state of Canada. Orange ass is threatening his own personal sovereignty.
I know why foreign governments are fawning all over the 🍊💩 stain. It makes perfect sense from their point of view. The problem is we here in the States have to live with this monster and all his designated monsters. All of the false praise and flattery just makes him worse for us. I do wish they would stop. Sucking up to Hitler never worked and neither will this.
Not everyone is flattering him.
Trudeau is making a stand.
Usually the U.S. president met with Canadian prime minister before any other foreign leader. It changed with orange ass but Biden met with Trudeau first. Mostly because of the extensive trade relationship.
The UK PM is after the Canadian meeting.
Charles is making a great argument for Canada to turf him because he’s been fucking useless. Sure the Canadian PM takes the lead, but Charles could have sent that letter for Canada.
Canadians showed up for the British in both wars at the beginning unlike the Americans. Starmer said the bare minimum with respect to Canada. Are we going to have to get macron to help?
So true Nic919
Not just the World Wars, we were there for almost every US war, most recently in Afghanistan. I think Canadians are just realizing that the death of our soldiers don’t mean anything. To lump us in with China and Mexico. How many Mexicans died in Afghanistan for the US?
We are the NUMBER ONE customer of the US. Canada buys more goods from the US than any other country in the world and last I checked we were the third largest market in the world for Teslas.
Getting rid of the monarchy will be on our minds as we look to forging new trading alliances. If every country in the world is going to be hit with tariffs it shouldn’t be too hard to find countries interested in free trade with Canada.
I watched the whole thing live. It was brilliant. The world knows T is a petulant child who needs his ego stroked. I bet CK felt it an opportunity to get into preserving the relationship. Politics is local (Tip O’Neill) and both sides need to play.
Donald talked about the great signature of CK and had to make sure there was one either to confirm it wasn’t a joke or to estimate the future value of the invite at auction!
I thought Kier handled T and Dumb Vance on the free speech well.
Yep, I hate everything about it but this is a brilliant example of “how to manipulate a narcissist” diplomacy. Now we get to see fat bloated FOTUS in a too-small morning suit again because he won’t dare let anybody measure him.
Charles proving once again to be an evil being.
Absolutely…
Awwwwwww the Kings are having a love fest, guys!
Perhaps Chucky will offer Mango a private exhibition of the family jewels.
So many Kingly tips to offer!
So Trump held up the letter so it could be read right? Man charles but moreso William better not have loose lips around that man. He will quickly tell everybody what was said.
All these male leaders and hardly any real balls. Pathetic.
I was so embarrassed by this fawn fest from Keir and Chas that I turned off the TV when Trump ask our PM to read him the letter and tell again how unique and special he is- utter cringe! Certainly looks like KC and FK will be dancing attention upon him. Last time he played golf with Andrew: does Will play a round?!
Perhaps Trump asked Starmer to read it because the rumours are true – that Trump can’t read? Would he understand all those words?
Secondly, I really don’t think that BP/The Foreign Office expected Trump to cravenly display the full contents of the letter to the cameras, but then again, I expect that they would have guessed that he would leak it for clout – and that the letter was actually crafted by Foreign Officials and signed off by Charles?
Cancel Amazon and all Amazon products (including Audible and Unlimited). Boycott Wal-Mart and all other companies that have donated to mango and are ran by American oLigArChs who deliberately underpay and under insure their employees to enrich themselves and drain federal funds through programs like rental assistance and medicare. Remember the national boycott today. Support small businesses as long as they do not openly support this lunacy. Wear a mask in public at all times. Take extra precautions if you are pregnant, immune compromised or elderly. Rubella may now also be floating around and that causes devastating birth defects. Measles will be all over the county soon.
TNDemocrat: could you explain for non-American celebitchies, are rubella and measles shots already hard to get? Or do you mean if they are not promoted or mandatory, then not enough people will get them, and those pregnant who maybe could not get them, would be at risk? Or children with anti- vax parents?
What I read on Threads that it was an invitation to Balmoral .. which would have been hysterical.. a real slap
But in the video It is said to be Windsor.. too bad.
It would have been wonderful to see the Scots vent their rage as well as Charles delivering a snark disguised as veneration
Ugh, the slimy fawning trick doesn’t seem to be working during Trump 2.0, and it’s miserable watching it being applied uselessly. Not to mention nauseating.
Will Elon be tagging along? Maybe X can wipe a booger on Cam’s dress.
Not that I would pity either Macron or Starmer but I found both visits really humiliating for them. The world is really going crazy and everybody has to pander to an orange senile baby.
I saw the comments on X and some Canadians are not happy. Charles is King of Canada and Trump is trying to make Canada the 51st state. That presser gave the UK is throwing Canada under the bus. I think the reason is Canada and Mexico is going to be hit with 25% tarrifs on Mar. 4. Trump is planning to hit the EU (27 countries) with 25% tarrifs. The UK is rolling out the royals to avoid being a target for tarrifs on him. There is a bright side: the Windsors are going to be at the mercy of Trump. Not only Charles and Camilla are going to have to be nice to Orange-zilla, but William and Kate will have to step up as future king and queen. William has been sold as a great statesman and he’ll have to prove it with Trump and Kate will have to be pleasant to a man who made unsavory comments about the nude shots in that French magazine. She’ll have to prove diplomatic skills; she can’t play the cancer card here. Since the Sussexes are not working royals they don’t have to deal with Trump. Saying no to half in and half out was a blessing in disguise for Harry and Meghan and karma for William and Kate.
No way is Huevo ever going to be a “great statesman”. He can preach and posture but he is very lazy. He can’t even get along with his only sibling. Kate is no great shakes either. I think William is a lot like Trump and “birds of a feather…” William sold out his own mother calling her paranoid I doubt he cares how Trump talked about Kate.
My EU country actually has a trade deficit with the USA. Not all countries are the same.
We import more American goods than we export to them. Guess we’ll have to buy elsewhere.
Also, I saw the clip of how those two bullies treated Zelensky and have nothing but sympathy for him. Will donate to Ukrainian causes.
Shame on everyone who voted for those two bullies or did not vote at all.
Yep, the PM and the Monarch are a tag-team. Always have been, always will be
Link to June 2019 visit from BBc which doesn’t include the wink Camilla gave to the cameras after Trump had left the room. She has never been tactful at the best of times, has she?
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38794886
Does Charles want to meet him after that insane meeting with Zelinskyy? Because he’s basically confirmed he’s owned by Putin.
Two meetings were cancelled after Trump’s meltdown and Trump kicked Zelensky out of the White House. That was such a disgrace to the US. The UK better be scared because Trump will use and abuse that country for its end. Trump exploited Ukraine’s vulnerability because the country is at war and he will exploit the UK’s biggest vulnerability-the Royals. The Windsor scandals are a treasure trove of leverage for Trump to use to get what he wants from the UK.
Sending this invitation out has always been a stupid move by the extremely naive RF, but after today’s events — Trump and Vance proving that they are nothing but Putin stooges — it’s more than embarrassing.
It was good to see all the support for Ukraine and Zelensky on socials.
We’ve just cancelled our flights to the US later this year and will attend the conferences virtually.