As Donald Trump bid farewell to King Charles on Thursday morning after what the US president clearly considered to be a successful state trip, all eyes turned to the political arena where the UK-US “special relationship” will truly be put to the test.
For Keir Starmer, his mini summit with President Trump at Chequers carries enormous significance – not just for his foreign policy but also his own standing at home, given that Labour MPs are openly questioning whether he should continue as PM.
But the prime minister knows that, as well as being a potential boost for him domestically, the two face clashing over difficult issues, which could really test Trump’s description of the relationship. Among these are steel, tariffs, Ukraine and even the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, which put paid to Peter Mandelson and threatens to drag in the US president. But, most pressing, is Gaza, a subject on which Starmer and Trump are in no way aligned.
This will not be the first time that the prime minister has hoped for a public endorsement to improve his own standings as a leader who he once described as a malign force on the world stage.
But, this time, he really needs it after having to sack his ambassador to the US in the mirkiest of circumstances, and having seen his deputy prime minister Angela Rayner resign over her tax affairs.
As was the case during his trip to the Oval Office earlier this year, when he presented the invitation for this second historic state trip, we should expect Trump to tell doubters in the UK that their beleaguered prime minister is doing a great job.
That being said, it has not got off to the perfect start for Starmer. The removal of the discussion of bringing steel tariffs down to zero is a blow. Clearly Trump does not want the UK to become a backdoor for foreign steel to the US, but Starmer’s government had put great store in getting this agreement.
There will, of course, be talks on the things we already know – the tech partnership between the two countries will be huge going forward. It puts the UK and US in lockstep as allies for decades to come, taking on China and India as the centre for future technologies.
For the president, whose own people back in January were briefing how hostile they were to Starmer’s government, there will be an agenda that he needs the UK to succeed. He cannot afford for another ally, particularly one he signed his first trade deal with, to fall by the wayside.
This is why so much investment has been announced to try to boost the UK economy.
But in the end it will be the crises on the world stage which Starmer, in particular, will want some light on.
The wars in the Middle East and Ukraine are having a hugely destabilising effect, but the rest of the international community is hoping that Starmer can persuade Trump to do the right thing. That is to guarantee a so-called coalition of the willing to ensure any Ukraine peace remains in place, and to stop potential genocide in Gaza.
The two remain far apart on both these issues, not least the UK’s plan to recognise Palestine as a state. How the prime minister handles this issue with Trump, while under pressure from his own party, could be his make or break.
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