Sarah Smith: Trump go to confirmed UK’s heat relations

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"Was it value it?" - BBC correspondents assess Trump's state go to

There's little doubt that Donald Trump was extra enthused concerning the day he spent at Windsor Fortress than his talks with Sir Keir Starmer at Chequers.

And that's no slight on the UK prime minister's hospitality throughout this state go to, which Trump and his group have been wanting to reward.

Starmer's nation residence is undoubtedly a powerful assembly place, and there was even an aerial show by the British Military's Crimson Devils who flew huge British and American flags to welcome the US chief to the Buckinghamshire countryside.

However as a lot as Trump seems to genuinely like Starmer, with their heat relationship on show at a joint information convention on Thursday, the president was completely beguiled by being hosted by the King and Queen on Wednesday.

In accordance with his chief of workers, Susie Wiles, his definitive spotlight of the journey was the flowery night banquet for 160 visitors in Windsor Fortress's St George's Corridor that night.

For Trump, who has a deep and longstanding admiration for the Royals, it's onerous to compete with being toasted by the King. Irrespective of what number of jets are laid on for you within the skies above Chequers.

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State visits like these permit presidents and prime ministers to attach with one different on a extra private degree, and supply an opportunity for his or her respective workers to construct working relationships. They're additionally a possibility to show the closeness of relations on an enormous stage.

On this sense, it was clean crusing for either side.

There was no actual awkwardness throughout the joint information convention, which had the potential to reveal areas of disagreements.

When the 2 males have been requested about a kind of points, the UK's plan to recognise Palestinian statehood, Trump stated he disagreed but additionally gave Starmer an enormous smile and a heat slap on the again because the prime minister condemned Hamas.

And on one other probably difficult matter, the sacking of Peter Mandelson as UK ambassador to the US over his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, Trump was unusually taciturn. He stated little or no and instantly deferred to Starmer.

The 2 leaders did focus on Gaza and Ukraine once they spent nearly an hour speaking alone with none of their workers within the room. And whereas they have been very amicable throughout the information convention, it additionally shortly turned clear that neither had modified their positions on the important thing points the place they disagree.

Watch: Pomp, pageantry and protests as Trump will get the royal remedy in Windsor

There are limits to how a lot affect any chief can have on Trump, whatever the success of a visit akin to this.

Inside Chequers, I requested Wiles, the president's chief-of-staff, how a lot distinction the go to will make to Britain's skill to affect US coverage on commerce, tariffs and worldwide affairs. Her response was frank – none in any respect.

Nevertheless a lot Trump loved this state go to, he's not going to change his positions on necessary international issues due to a memorable night time spent at Windsor Fortress.

However after all of the pomp and pageantry, Starmer seems to have a minimum of earned the best to respectfully disagree with Trump with out paying a diplomatic penalty.

It may be expensive to get on the fallacious aspect of the US president, however by rigorously navigating the connection the UK has managed to keep away from the punishingly excessive commerce tariffs which were imposed on different nations. Starmer, in the meantime, has not been subjected to a humiliating dressing down or given a derogatory nickname.

Whereas this was by no means going to descend into the type of awkward conflict we have seen at instances within the Oval Workplace this yr - not simply with Ukraine's Volodymyr Zelensky however with different leaders too - it's notable {that a} extra relaxed Trump approached the questions throughout the concluding information convention in a far much less combative means than he usually does again in Washington.

Did the UK prime minister play his "trump" card by arranging this lavish state go to? It was choreographed flawlessly and clearly delighted Trump and the primary girl.

And whereas Starmer might not have gained the flexibility to alter the president's thoughts, a falling out now feels additional away than ever earlier than.