Donald Trump appeared bored and distracted during a joint press conference with Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Chequers on Thursday, the business end of his state visit to the UK. The US president, described as being in his 'own Truman show', seemed uninterested in the proceedings, while Starmer showed visible anxiety.
Starmer delivered a scripted speech praising Trump as the best, the bringer of tech trade deals and the architect of world peace, but Trump looked unmoved. The prime minister's nervous glances towards the press corps suggested a plea for cooperation, but Trump remained lost in his own world, treating everyone else as mere satellites to his ego.
When Trump finally spoke, he followed notes telling him to be grateful and not to rock the boat. He thanked the King, calling him 'a fantastic person', and claimed to have resolved seven of the world's most intractable wars, though he admitted no progress on Ukraine or Gaza. He also offered advice on illegal immigration, suggesting sending in the military to 'crack a few skulls'.
During questions, Trump struggled to answer on Palestine and Israel, mumbling while Starmer assured the media they had discussed the issue. In a bizarre moment, Trump claimed to have ended a conflict between Albania and Azerbaijan, a war that does not exist. The US president answered three questions from hand-picked rightwing US media outlets with ease.
