Chequers, UK – US President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer held a joint press conference at Chequers on Thursday, concluding Trump’s second state visit to the UK with a show of unity and praise for a “renewed special relationship.”
While both leaders celebrated a series of multi-billion-pound investment deals, they skilfully navigated and largely avoided addressing difficult and potentially divisive topics.
At the press conference, both leaders projected a sense of shared purpose. Starmer told reporters, “We’ve renewed the special relationship for a new era,” while Trump described the bond as “unbreakable.”
The leaders’ joint appearance was preceded by the announcement of a massive £250 billion package of US investment into the UK. This included a new technology pact with major companies like Microsoft, Nvidia, and OpenAI, which pledged £31 billion.
Despite the positive tone, both leaders deliberately sidestepped contentious foreign policy and personal matters.
Starmer, who has previously indicated a willingness for Britain to recognize Palestine, acknowledged a “disagreement on that score” with Trump, but the topic was not pressed further.
Trump, meanwhile, criticized Russian President Vladimir Putin for letting him down, but stopped short of announcing any new sanctions against Moscow.
The visit, which Trump called an “exquisite honour,” concluded with a sense of relief from Starmer, who quickly ushered the president out of the Great Hall, ending a carefully managed display of alliance.
