UK's Starmer hopes Trump's royal welcome will shield him from pitfalls

LONDON – British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hopes the pomp of a royal welcome for US President Donald Trump on a state visit to Britain this week will offer him protection from possible pitfalls on anything from free speech to scandal over Jeffrey Epstein.

Mr Trump arrives in Britain late on Sept 16, to be greeted over the next two days by King Charles and then Mr Starmer on a visit expected to be heavy on red carpet treatment and the promotion of investment deals to draw the two nations' economies closer.

Mr Starmer, under pressure after being

forced to sack Mr Peter Mandelson

as his ambassador to the US over Epstein, wants the visit to underline that his close ties to Trump can benefit Britain.

Transatlantic taskforce to be announced

To that end, Finance Minister Rachel Reeves will also hold talks with US Trade Secretary Scott Bessent and they are expected to announce a 'Transatlantic taskforce' to deepen cooperation between two of the world's largest financial centres.

Senior US officials said on Sept 15 deals worth more than US$10 billion (S$12.8 billion) would be announced covering energy and technology.

"This historic second state visit is set to highlight and renew the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom," a senior US official said on Sept 15.

A spokesperson for Mr Starmer told reporters on Sept 15 that the Prime Minister "sees this state visit squarely through the lens of delivering for working people”, listing US investment pledged over the weekend to create 1,800 jobs in Britain and a civil nuclear partnership which could lower energy prices.

Mr Starmer could well do with the distraction when he hosts Mr Trump at his Chequers country residence on Sept 18 and one of his main goals is to champion any wins secured during a visit which is also expected to draw protests.

Several of his Labour lawmakers are angry over his handling of the

departures of both his deputy, Ms Angela Rayner

, and Mr Mandelson, questioning his full-throated support for both before being forced to let them go.

After mis-steps over welfare reform, accepting gifts and tax restrictions on child benefits, several lawmakers are increasingly questioning the British leader's judgment and political nous, especially at a time when Mr Nigel Farage's populist Reform UK party is running well ahead in the polls.

Perhaps the biggest pitfall is the likelihood of questions about the late sex offender Epstein. Mr Starmer has justified his abrupt sacking of Mr Mandelson last week by saying he was not aware of the depth of the ex-ambassador's ties to the financier.

Scrutiny over Trump’s relationship with Epstein

But Mr Trump's relationship with Epstein has also come under scrutiny after Democrats in the House of Representatives

made public a birthday letter he allegedly wrote to him

– something the US leader has denied writing.

Mr Trump could also raise the issue of free speech in Britain, after some of his allies said its new online safety laws censored online debate and imposed costs on US tech companies.

But the visit should also give him a diversion less than a week after a close ally,

conservative activist Charlie Kirk, was shot dead

at an outdoor event in Utah, a killing that has appeared to affect the president deeply.

On Sept 17, Mr Trump and his wife, Mrs Melania, will be treated to British royal pageantry, including a carriage tour, a state banquet, a flypast by military aircraft and a gun salute.

A day later, Mr Starmer welcomes Mr Trump to Chequers, a 16th-century manor house in the southern English countryside, to discuss investment, finalising promised lower tariffs for steel and aluminium, the so far frustrated efforts to end Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine and the situation in Gaza.

Mr Starmer hopes to build on the relationship they have cultivated, which won him an economic deal on reducing Trump's global tariffs.

Both want investment boost

Both nations will have sizeable delegations and will be largely protected from the planned protests. Mr Trump will also be joined by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who will hold talks with Britain's newly-appointed Foreign Minister, Ms Yvette Cooper.

Business executives attending include Nvidia Corp chief executive officer Jensen Huang and OpenAI's Sam Altman.

Ms Olivia O'Sullivan, a director at the Chatham House think tank, said Britain believed that by closely aligning with the US, it could stay "on the cutting edge of the kind of frontier technology”, which is dominated by the US and China. REUTERS