As Donald Trump showers ‘liberal’ Keir Starmer with unlikely reward and talks of assembly ‘quickly’ in 45-minute cellphone name, it begs the query – when CAN we count on the President to go to?
Keir Starmer was thrown a diplomatic lifeline as new US President Donald Trump picked the Prime Minister for his first call with a European leader on Sunday.
Downing Street said the two leaders used the 45-minute call to stress ‘the importance of the close and warm ties between the UK and the US’.
The US President is also said to have spoken of his ‘respect and affection for the Royal Family’. The two leaders agreed to meet ‘soon’.
Mr Trump suggested the UK could be the first foreign destination of his second term, while government sources said the PM was ready to rearrange his schedule to travel to Washington as soon as this week if the invitation comes.
Earlier, in remarks that took Downing Street by surprise, Mr Trump acknowledged his political differences with the Prime Minister but added: ‘I get along with him well. I like him a lot.’
The US President’s intervention came as a relief to No 10, where officials had been trying in vain to place a call since Mr Trump returned to power last week.
Last night, the two leaders discussed trade and the economy, with the PM setting out his plan to slash regulation to boost growth. He was expected to use the call to ask Mr Trump to spare British exports from tariffs.
Mr Trump extended his condolences to Sir Keir over the loss of his brother, Nick, to cancer on Boxing Day. The two men also discussed the Middle East, and Mr Trump welcomed the release last week of British-Israeli hostage Emily Damari.
Donald Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office on the day of his inauguration – he has hinted that the UK could be the destination of his first oversees trip
Mr Starmer has actively tried to woo Mr Trump since Labour came to power in July last year, meeting him for several dinners
President Donald Trump has now had his first official phone call with the British PM, with the pair talking about the situation in Gaza and sending his condolences for the recent death of Sir Keir’s brother Nick
A Downing Street spokesman said: ‘The two leaders stressed the importance of the close and warm ties between the UK and the US, and the President spoke of his respect and affection for the Royal Family. They agreed to meet soon and looked forward to further discussions then.’
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One earlier, Mr Trump suggested the UK could be the first country he visits this term.
‘It could be Saudi Arabia, it could be UK,’ he said. ‘Traditionally, it could be UK.’
Asked about his relationship with Sir Keir, he replied: ‘I get along with him well. I like him a lot. He’s liberal, which is a bit different from me, but I think he’s a very good person and I think he’s done a very good job thus far.’
Downing Street had faced growing questions about why the new President had called the leaders of countries such as El Salvador and Jordan before the UK.
No 10 is already talking to Buckingham Palace about offering Mr Trump a second state visit.
On Sunday it emerged that the UK could also become embroiled in Mr Trump’s controversial bid to take control of Greenland, currently part of Denmark.
Mr Trump had a ‘fiery call’ with Danish PM Mette Frederiksen after laying claim publicly to it.
Nick Starmer, the brother of Sir Keir Starmer, died on Boxing Day aged 60 after suffering from cancer – Mr Trump, who lost his own brother to alcoholism, sent his condolences to Mr Starmer on their first official call
A Downing St spokesperson said the US president also warmly welcomed the release of British hostage Emily Damari and sent his best wishes to her family. Pictured: Emily Damari with her mother in Israel after her release on Sunday
Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen (pictured) has been unyielding in the face of Mr Trump’s request to buy Greenland -and under a 1917 deal, the UK would have first refusal if Denmark decided to sell the island
Trump’s fixation on Greenland is emblematic of his broader vision of American expansionism, which Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer will have to contend with. Pictured, the capital of Greenland, Nuuk
The US seeks a greater share in emerging trade routes with its Greenland initiative, while Russia’s Northern Sea Route and China’s Polar Silk Road have drawn significant attention in recent years
Under a 1917 deal, the UK would have first refusal if Denmark decided to sell the island.
Until Sunday the probability of Mr Trump opting for the UK for his first overseas trip as the 47th US president felt far from certain, given the mixed messages that have come out of Mr Trump’s administration in the last few weeks.
British PM Sir Keir Starmer has been the subject of harsh criticism from some members of Mr Trump’s inner circle.
Elon Musk, tasked by Donald Trump with heading up the new Department of Government Efficiency, has repeatedly targeted Sir Keir and was reportedly even having discussions with allies about ousting him before the next general election.
And asked by reporters onboard Air Force One where his first presidential visit would be, Mr Trump coyly suggested Saudi Arabia was as likely as the UK.
Mr Trump, who made a state visit to the UK in 2019 when he was hosted by the late Queen, chose Saudi Arabia as his first call to a foreign country after his second inauguration last week.
He also revealed that he chose Saudi Arabia as his initial overseas visit during his first stint as US president because the Middle Eastern Kingdom agreed to buy billions of dollars of US merchandise. ‘If that offer were right, I’d do that again,’ he said.
Saudi Arabia has announced it would be investing $600 billion in the U.S. although President Trump says he is keen to boost that figure to $1 trillion – with some interpreting the demand as a ‘bid’ in order to secure the Islamic nation as Mr Trump’s first state visit in his second term as president.
US President Donald Trump (left) receives the Order of Abdulaziz al-Saud medal from Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud (right) at the Saudi Royal Court in Riyadh during his first overseas visit as president in 2017
In an interview with reporters on Air Force One, Mr Trump said in his first stint as president he visited Saudi Arabia first because ‘they agreed to buy $450 billion worth of United States merchandise, including a lot of military equipment and farm equipment and other equipment’ Pictured: Trump (far right) and wife Melania (second from right) with Saudi Arabia’s King Salman (centre)
Saudi Arabia has announced it would be investing $600 billion in the U.S. although President Trump says he is keen to boost that figure to $1 trillion – with some interpreting the demand as a bid to make the Islamic nation Mr Trump’s first state visit in his second term as president
But in the same interview aboard the presidential plane he also lavished Sir Keir Starmer with unexpected praise.
Trump told reporters that the pair ‘get along very well’ and said Sir Keir had ‘done a very good job thus far’.
‘I’ve met him already three times. He’s come over to see me twice. I have a call. He and I have a call over the next 24 hours,’ Mr Trump said.
‘Now I get along with him, well, I like him a lot. He’s liberal, which is a little bit different for me, but I think he’s a very good person.
‘I think he’s done a very good job thus far. He’s doing the job… but he’s represented his country in terms of his philosophy.’
And on Sunday evening Mr Trump chose UK Prime Minister as his first call with a European leader following his second inauguration.
Following their chat, Sir Keir Starmer said he looked forward to meeting Donald Trump to ‘strengthen the close ties between our countries’.
The Prime Minister said in a post on social media site X: ‘I spoke with (President Donald Trump) today and congratulated him on his inauguration.
The new US president said he had a ‘very good relationship’ with the PM and hinted he could yet make Britain the destination of his first overseas trip after returning to the White House
Trump told reporters on Air Force One that he planned to speak to Sir Keir in the next 24 hours, after snubbing him for almost a week since taking office.
‘I thanked him for his kind words on the loss of my brother. We discussed the importance of working together for security in the Middle East, for trade and economic growth.’
The Prime Minister previously met Mr Trump for dinner at Trump Tower in New York in September, before he was re-elected as president in November. He also held two pre-inauguration calls with him.
‘I may not agree with his philosophy, but I have a very good relationship with him. I’ve seen him twice at dinner with him in Trump Tower, as you probably know.’
After meeting at Trump Tower, the pair also spoke on the phone following Trump’s election victory, with Downing Street saying both men agreed the relationship between the UK and the US was ‘incredibly strong’ and would ‘continue to thrive’.
Mr Trump has not been back to Britain since 2019, when he was hosted at Buckingham Palace by the Royal Family.
The President, First Lady Melania, Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka and her husband Jared, Eric and his wife Lara, and Tiffany Trump attended a lavish banquet at the palace.
Mr Trump was eager to meet the royal family after his first 2016 election victory but was made to wait until 2018 for his first visit to the UK.
There was a feeling among some of his team that he was ‘snubbed’ by the royals on that visit – with CNN reporting that Mr Trump apparently requested a trip to Buckingham Palace in one of the Queen’s gold-plated carriages. That idea was vetoed by the security services and the UK Embassy.
Mr Trump is said to be a huge fan of the British royals. Pictured: Trump and his wife Melania are pictured alongside Charles and Camilla, the then Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall
Donald Trump and the late Queen Elizabeth raise a toast at the State Banquet at Buckingham Palace in June 2019
Fearing protests – in the end more than 100,000 took to the streets to protest Mr Trump’s visit – they instead arranged for the Trumps to meet Her Majesty at Windsor.
However, Prince William and Harry reportedly refused to meet with the then 45th president – as did the then-Prince Charles, according to some senior royal watchers.
Nevertheless, after winning the election, behind-the-scenes footage of his campaign trail showed Mr Trump reminiscing on the trip fondly as he flicked through a photo album.
Showing off a picture of himself with the royals at the banquet, Mr Trump recalled: ‘This was with Queen Elizabeth, she was always fantastic by the way. These images, I mean who has images like this? And these were relationships.’
He then turned the page to a photo of him and the then Prince of Wales, Charles, and said: ‘He’s now the King, here’s Charles with the guard.’
Moving back to another picture from his 2019 state visit to England, Mr Trump said: ‘This is Queen Elizabeth, it’s a piece of history at the highest level.’
He then flicked through to a photo of him and his wife Melania alongside Charles and Camilla.
He said: ‘Here’s Charles, so beautiful. And they’ll see the most beautiful places in the world, there are no places like this. Hopefully he’s going to be well because he’s a really good person. Camilla is fantastic. You get to know them so well.’
Donald Trump speaks to the late Queen Elizabeth during a D-Day event in Portsmouth in 2019
Trump has often spoken candidly about his relationship with the Queen, who passed away in 2022
Queen Elizabeth greets Donald Trump during a state visit to England in June 2019
Donald Trump spoke candidly about his relationship with the British Royal Family during his presidential campaign. He was filmed looking through a photo album which included pictures of him with the royals
Mr Trump finished by showing a famous photo of him laughing with Queen Elizabeth at a State dinner, recalling: ‘This is your favourite president with the Queen, she was unbelievable, she was great, we had a very good relationship, really good.’
Mr Trump returned to the UK in December 2019, joining world leaders at Buckingham Palace to mark 70 years of NATO. During the visit, both Mr Trump and Melania joined the then Prince Charles and Camilla for tea at Clarence House.
In 2018, the President and First Lady also came to the UK and spent time with former Prime Minister Theresa May. During the trip, they also travelled to Windsor Castle and had tea with the late Queen.
Charles, who has since become the King, sent a personal congratulations message to Mr Trump on his inauguration, ‘reflecting on the enduring special relationship between the UK and US’.
The monarch’s private words were sent to Mr Trump to congratulate him on being sworn into office as US president for a second time, Buckingham Palace revealed.
It is understood all options remain possible for an incoming state visit by Mr Trump to the UK and a visit by Charles to the US, but no plans are currently in the diary.
Foreign monarchs, presidents or prime ministers are invited to visit the King on the advice and request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, with the decision down to the Government.
Mr Trump is well known for his love of the monarchy and the Royal Family plays a central role in the UK’s bond with the US. The US leader boasted he had ‘automatic chemistry’ with the late Queen, and has hailed the King as a ‘really wonderful guy’.
Sir Keir and other senior Labour ministers have been engaged in a running battle with Elon Musk , the billionaire X owner and a senior ally of the president.
Sir Keir most recently met with Mr Trump at Trump Tower in New York during the presidential campaign last year.
Former Labour MP Lord Mann said Mr Beckham was ‘excellent’ at impressing dignitaries for the London 2012 Olympics and should be deployed again
When the Queen died in September 2022, Mr Trump said: ‘Queen Elizabeth’s historic and remarkable reign left a tremendous legacy of peace and prosperity for Great Britain.
He added: ‘Melania and I will always cherish our time together with the Queen, and never forget Her Majesty’s generous friendship, great wisdom, and wonderful sense of humor. What a grand and beautiful lady she was – there was nobody like her!’
While all eyes are on when Mr Trump will visit Britain, Foreign Secretary David Lammy indicated Sir Keir would visit Washington within weeks.
Mr Trump’s close ally Elon Musk has heavily criticised Sir Keir in recent weeks as the billionaire owner of Tesla and SpaceX piled pressure on the Prime Minister to order an inquiry into grooming gangs.
Sir Keir has gone out of his way to mend fences with Mr Trump following the outspoken criticism of his first term by senior Labour figures.
In 2019, when Mr Trump suggested Boris Johnson would do a ‘very good job’ as PM, Sir Keir responded on social media: ‘An endorsement from Donald Trump tells you everything you need to know about what is wrong with Boris Johnson’s politics and why he isn’t fit to be Prime Minister.’
Foreign Secretary David Lammy went further, describing Mr Trump as a ‘tyrant in a toupee’ and a ‘woman-hating, neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath’.
But the two men are said to have had cordial talks during a two-hour dinner with Mr Trump at his New York headquarters in September and are now looking to maintain Britain’s historic ‘special relationship’.
Foreign Secretary David Lammy described Mr Trump as a ‘tyrant in a toupee’ and a ‘woman-hating, neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath’ during Labour’s time in opposition
Mr Lammy’s tweet about Mr Trump’s visit to the UK during his first term. Mr Lammy, now UK Foreign Secretary, says that Mr Trump doesn’t not bear a grudge, but some of those who have worked with Mr Trump say he has a long memory for his critics
Sir Keir Starmer also had some choice words to say about Mr Trump back in 2019 after he endorsed Boris Johnson in that year’s UK general election
It came as Sir Keir was urged to use celebrities like David Beckham to launch a charm offensive on the new president.
Labour sources said former footballer Beckham has a better chance than politicians do of building bridges with the president because of his ‘star power’.
The sources are concerned over Mr Trump’s threat of punitive trade tariffs and reports his aides may put Sir Keir ‘at the back of the queue’ of world leaders who will be invited to Washington.
Sir Keir has been warned traditional diplomacy will not resonate with Mr Trump and he needs to use more ‘creative’ methods of building a relationship.
One insider said: ‘Trump has no interest in Keir Starmer but likes celebrity and success. We might have more luck deploying the Beckhams as unofficial ambassadors.
‘We have success stories in sport, Hollywood, music – these are part of our soft power and we should be making the most of them and using that for British interest.’
Former Labour MP Lord Mann said a similar approach helped win the Olympics for London in 2012.
