Donald Trump has landed in the United Kingdom for an unprecedented second state visit, touching down at London Stansted Airport on Tuesday evening aboard Air Force One alongside first lady Melania Trump. The visit includes a series of events over two days, including a meeting with King Charles, military parades, and a possible Red Arrows flypast with British and American F-35 jets.
The visit has drawn significant criticism over Trump’s policies and rhetoric. The Stop Trump Coalition gathered for a protest in Windsor on Tuesday, with another demonstration planned in central London on Wednesday. Protesters held placards and chanted “Trump out”, with one demonstrator saying the government should not be “rolling out the red carpet” for the president.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan, writing in the Guardian, accused Trump of doing more than anyone else to “fan the flames of divisive, far-right politics around the world”. Khan said the president’s use of the military and targeting of minorities was “straight out of the autocrat’s playbook”, urging UK leaders not to shy away from being a “critical friend”.
At Windsor Castle, about 70 protesters gathered peacefully. Thames Valley Police arrested four people on suspicion of malicious communications after images of Trump and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were projected onto the castle. The royal welcome includes a ceremonial greeting by King Charles and Queen Camilla, with gun salutes and a guard of honour involving 1,300 military personnel.
