Plans for a potential return of Donald Trump to British soil would trigger one of the largest and most complex police security operations in recent history, The Independent can reveal. The massive undertaking, codenamed Operation Magellan, is already in advanced planning stages within the Metropolitan Police, anticipating a visit should the former President win the upcoming US election.
Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer has launched a scathing attack on the government, demanding unequivocal guarantees that British taxpayers will not be left to shoulder the enormous financial burden of protecting the controversial figure. The projected cost is expected to run into tens of millions of pounds, dwarfing the bill for previous presidential visits.
The Staggering Scale of Security
Police documents detail an operation of unprecedented scale. It would require:
- Thousands of officer shifts dedicated solely to close protection and crowd control.
- Highly specialised units on standby to counter potential terrorist threats and organised protests.
- Major disruptions across central London, with road closures and security cordons impacting travel and commerce.
Security chiefs are particularly concerned about the potential for large-scale, volatile protests, requiring a significant portion of the national police resource to be diverted to the capital.
A Political Firestorm
The revelation has ignited a fierce political row. Sir Keir Starmer has written directly to the Prime Minister, insisting the government must "categorically commit to fully reimbursing police forces" for the immense cost.
This stance echoes the controversy from Mr. Trump's 2019 visit, where the total policing cost reached an astonishing £18 million, with the Met alone spending £14.5 million. The government's refusal at the time to cover the full amount left a bitter taste for police authorities already facing budget constraints.
A government spokesperson provided a non-committal response, stating only that "the details of any future visit would be agreed upon in line with established protocols," doing little to assuage concerns.
With the US election on the horizon, Scotland Yard and Whitehall are quietly preparing for a scenario that promises not only a logistical nightmare but also a deeply contentious political dilemma for the UK government.
