What Donald Trump will do on day two of state visit
President heads to Chequers for further talks with Sir Keir Starmer
Sir Keir Starmer will host Donald Trump at his grace and favour country home on Thursday, as the Prime Minister continues his campaign to woo the US president during his unprecedented second state visit to Britain.
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Mr Trump will be greeted by another guard of honour as he meets Sir Keir Starmer and his wife, Lady Victoria, at Chequers later on Thursday morning.
The meeting follows a £150 billion tech investment being agreed overnight, and this could be finalised at a business reception, while other trade deals could be discussed.
Read More: From Whisky Sours to the Rolling Stones: Inside the state banquet as menu, guest list, and revealed
The Prime Minister is hoping to keep the focus of the visit on an influx of American investment into the UK, all while both his Government and the Trump administration are plagued by scandals related to the paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Indeed, four men have been bailed after projecting images of Trump and Epstein together onto the walls of Windsor Castle.
What will happen on Thursday, for day two of Donald Trump's state visit?
Sir Keir and Mr Trump will meet at Chequers – the Prime Minister’s estate in Buckinghamshire.
The president is set to fly out from Windsor Castle later on Thursday morning.
The two men plan to formally sign off on a £150 billion technology prosperity deal, touted as offering major investment by US tech firms in Britain, that will help to develop its AI capabilities.
Thursday afternoon’s press conference with the two leaders could prove to be the moment of most jeopardy for ensuring the state visit concludes smoothly, as questions about Lord Peter Mandelson and Mr Trump’s links to the late Epstein will likely arise.
Differences of opinion over the situation in the Middle East may also prove difficult for the two men.
Sir Keir has delayed his plans to recognise a Palestinian state until after Mr Trump’s visit concludes to avoid open disagreement over the matter, the Times reported.
What is the tech deal?
Some 7,600 “high quality” jobs will be created across the country as a result of the influx of a £150 billion investment from big US firms.
Sir Keir welcomed the announcement, ahead of a day of high-level discussions with Mr Trump.
He said: “When we back British brilliance, champion our world-class industries, and forge deeper global alliances — especially with friends like the US — we help shape the future for generations to come and make people across the country better off.
“These investments are a testament to Britain’s economic strength and a bold signal that our country is open, ambitious and ready to lead.
“Jobs, growth and opportunity is what I promised for working people, and it’s exactly what this state visit is delivering.”
Among the firms pledging investment in the UK are asset management company Blackstone, which will invest £90 billion cash on top of £10 billion previously announced to develop data centres.
Others include investment firm Prologis, pledging £3.9 billion, and software company Palantir, pledging £1.5 billion.
What has happened already?
The Trumps arrived at Stansted Airport on Tuesday night and stayed in Regent's Park before heading to Windsor Castle on Wednesday morning.
At the Royal residence, the president and first lady were treated to a military parade and carriage ride as well as a tour of the monarchy's collections.
On Wednesday evening, Mr Trump was the guest of honour at a lavish state banquet in Windsor Castle, hosted by the King.
There, he paid a heartfelt tribute to America’s relationship with the UK, saying the words “special does not begin to do it justice”, and claimed the nations were “two notes in one chord”.
Among those at the banquet were the chiefs of major American firms, including big names from the tech world Sam Altman of OpenAI, Tim Cook of Apple, and Jensen Huang, the founder of Nvidia.
Media mogul Rupert Murdoch was also a guest, despite being sued by the US president over a report linking him to Epstein.
