The UK and US have an “unbreakable bond”, President Donald Trump has told at a meeting with business leaders at Chequers.
The US leader described his second state visit to Britain as an “exquisite honour”, adding: “The ties between our countries are priceless.”
Thursday’s talks at British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s country residence are designed to focus firmly on global affairs rather than domestic political problems.
After a day of pomp and ceremony in which Trump rode in a carriage with King Charles and feasted at a state banquet, Trump and Starmer will celebrate the unveiling of a $US205 billion ($A309 billion) package of US investment into Britain.
The deals, covering areas such as technology, energy and life sciences, will offer a renewal of the so-called ‘special relationship’ between the two nations, something Starmer has worked hard to cultivate since Trump became leader in January.
Starmer said it was a “great day for the special relationship” as he praised “my friend, our friend, President Trump.”
“This is a great day for the special relationship: a celebration of what has gone before, of course, but more than that, a moment to deliver investments, jobs and deals which will improve people’s lives now and light up the special relationship for years to come,” he said.
On Wednesday, Trump and his wife Melania were treated to the full array of British pageantry.
Britain rolled out the royal red carpet, giving Trump the largest military ceremonial welcome for a state visit in living memory.
The president made little secret of his delight at being not just the first US leader, but the first elected politician to be invited for two state visits.
“This is truly one of the highest honours of my life,” he said.
Starmer hopes the trip will aid his government as it seeks to deepen economic ties, secure billions of dollars of investment, ease tariffs and allow him to press the president on Ukraine and Israel.
Companies including Microsoft, Nvidia, Google and OpenAI have already pledged STG31 billion pounds ($A64 billion) in British investments over the next few years, in AI, quantum computing and civil nuclear energy.
Starmer also wants further progress on trade, after Britain secured the first deal with Trump to lower some tariffs, a win that King Charles pointed to in his speech.
“The United Kingdom was your partner in the first trade deal of your administration, Mr President, bringing jobs and growth to both our countries,” the King said.
“And no doubt we can go even further as we build this new era of our partnership.”
While there were many Trump supporters in crowds at Windsor in London, several thousand people marched to protest against the state visit.
Amongst the guests at Wednesday’s banquet was Rupert Murdoch, whose Wall Street Journal publication the president is currently suing in a $US10 billion ($A15 billion) defamation case over an article linking the president with Epstein.
Trump and Melania joined Charles, his wife Queen Camilla and other royals and dignitaries for a carriage procession, with the route lined by 1300 British service personnel.
Later, the Trumps viewed historical items from the Royal Collection relating to the US, and then visited St George’s Chapel, the final resting place of Queen Elizabeth, who hosted Trump for his first state visit in 2019, to lay a wreath on her tomb. She died in September 2022.
There was a further military parade and a flypast by Britain’s Red Arrows aerobatics team, but poor weather meant British and US F-35 military jets – a symbol of bilateral defence collaboration – could not join.
The Trumps also found time for a private meeting with the King’s elder son Prince William and the heir’s wife Kate, which was described by the prince’s spokesperson as “warm and friendly”.
With AP and PA