Donald Trump and First Lady Melania depart UK as state visit ends
Summary
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump depart the UK on board Air Force One - here's a look back at the two-day state visit
In a joint press conference earlier, Trump suggested Keir Starmer could involve the military in tackling the UK's small boat crisis
Trump also said Vladimir Putin "let me down", as Starmer said both countries are working to put pressure on the Russian president to agree to a Ukraine peace deal
When asked about Starmer's plan to recognise a Palestinian state, Trump said he has "a disagreement with the prime minister on that score"
Some of the thorniest issues did not really crop up. Jeffrey Epstein and Lord Mandelson only perfunctorily, and Nigel Farage not at all, writes chief political correspondent Henry Zeffman
It comes after the leaders signed a new "technology prosperity deal" with firms including Microsoft and Google pledging to spend billions in the UK
Glitz in Windsor, diplomacy at Chequers: Trump's historic state visit comes to an end
EPA/ShutterstockUS President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania are on their way back to the White House, after a truly historic state visit.
King Charles III and Trump both hailed the "special relationship" between the two countries.
Where Wednesday was all about the glitz and glamour, Thursday was dominated by diplomacy.
A packed itinerary - including a carriage procession, a Red Arrows flypast and a lavish state banquet at Windsor Castle - filled the first full day of their visit.
Today it was off to Chequers, as their schedule focussed on politics, not pageantry. Talks between the two leaders turned to trade, defence and international conflict - here are five key takeaways.
And away from the pomp, protests against Trump's visit took place in central London and outside Windsor Castle.
We're ending our live coverage now, but you can keep up to date in our news story - as well as lots more across the BBC:
Trump's royal treatment worked in Starmer's favour
Rob Watson
Political correspondentEPA/ShutterstockFor two days President Trump has been feted and honoured like no other visitor to these shores in recent years.
Whether at Windsor Castle or Chequers, every effort made by king and government to charm the American leader.
It seemed to work.
The visit ended with only the gentlest of disagreement over differing approaches to Ukraine and Gaza and in the end the sensitive subjects of free speech and Jeffrey Epstein produced no new headlines.
For Prime Minister Keir Starmer the highlight of the visit were promises of US investment.
For President Trump no doubt the highlight was being treated like royalty by the real thing.
Pomp, circumstance, diplomacy: Analysing Trump's state visit
Trump's visit to the UK has been closely followed, and analysed. Let's round up our correspondents' takes on a trip full of ceremony and diplomacy.
The visit is a reminder of how the royals can put on a show like few others, Royal correspondent Sean Coughlan says.
He adds that the UK government will hope that all the flattery and spectacle will have made Trump more receptive to tougher messages.
Speaking of tougher messages, Chief political correspondent Henry Zeffman says some of the thorniest issues did not really crop up during talks between the PM and Trump - but number 10 can chalk this up as a success.
And, Chief North America correspondent Gary O'Donoghue says Downing Street couldn't have hoped for the press conference to go better.
North America editor Sarah Smith says Starmer does not appear to have won the ability to change the president’s mind.
Political editor Chris Mason sums up the success of the trip, saying Starmer has managed to cement a working relationship with Trump but questions remain over whether the White House will budge.
'Was it worth it?' - BBC correspondents assess Trump's state visit
Starmer can disagree with Trump, but won't change his mind
Sarah Smith
North America editorThe free flowing joint news conference gave us the chance to explore in public what the president and PM are thinking on a wide range of issues.
The opportunity to chat, behind the scenes, with Donald Trump’s most senior staff can be even more revealing.
The two leaders were delighted to announce the tech partnership worth £250 billion.
But just before the news conference began, US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick told me it could have been ten times that amount if the UK would get rid of the digital services tax and change many of the regulations that, he thinks, stifle investment in Britain.
Donald Trump’s Chief of Staff Susie Wiles said that the highlight of the trip for the president was undoubtedly the state banquet at Windsor castle.
But when I asked her how much difference this visit would make to Britain’s ability to influence US policy in the Middle East or in Ukraine – she said none at all.
Saying that President Trump will always do what’s right for America regardless of what his friends think.
Starmer appears to have earned the right to respectfully disagree with Donald Trump without paying a diplomatic penalty.
But he does not appear to have won the ability to change the president’s mind.
The state visit - at a glance
It's been a whirlwind state visit for US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania.
We've taken a brief look at some of the big moments of Trump's historic trip to the UK.
Day One
Air Force One landed at London's Stansted Airport on Tuesday night. Trump was greeted by Viscount Hood, Lord-in-Waiting, on behalf of King Charles III.
PA MediaDay Two
They then flew to Windsor Castle on Wednesday morning and were greeted by the Prince and Princess of Wales.
The King and Queen Camilla welcomed the president and first lady at the entrance, marked by a handshake.
A day of pageantry began with a carriage ride, before an inspection of troops on a picture-perfect lawn.
UK MOD HANDOUTNext was a tour of St George's Chapel, where Trump showed great interest, exclaiming "what a place". He also paid his respects to Queen Elizabeth II, and placed a wreath on her tomb.
This sombre moment was followed by a grand state banquet with 160 guests. Trump and King Charles III spoke of the "special relationship" between the UK and US.
ReutersDay Three
That brings us to today, which saw the president hold talks with PM Keir Starmer at Chequers.
They discussed trade, defence, Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza. A new tech agreement was signed and a joint news conference held - here are the key takeaways.
EPAMeanwhile, Melania Trump spent time with Catherine, Princess of Wales, and 20 Squirrel Scouts - the youngest group in the Scout Association.
ReutersThe Trumps departed Chequers and took a short helicopter ride to Air Force One. They flew out of Stanstead just before 18:00 local time.
Reuters
Did President Trump violate royal protocol during his visit?
ReutersBy Richard Irvine-Brown and Katerina Karelli
A lot has been made on social media of President Trump touching King Charles on the back, and Prince William on the arm, during his visit, and for walking ahead of the King.
But, as former BBC royal correspondent Jennie Bond tells us, royal protocol isn't "something that's written down like the constitution - it's flexible".
Some posts we've seen criticising the president have had 5m views.
But walking ahead is fine if the monarch invites a guest to do so - and King Charles did guide President Trump ahead of him, as he has done previously for other world leaders.
With physical contact, according to the official Royal Family website there are “no obligatory codes” but some people may use “traditional forms” of greeting senior royals. That could be a handshake or a curtsy.
As the BBC’s royal correspondent Daniela Relph explains: “Palace officials knew Trump was a president who did his own thing, wanted to feel special, and if things were unusual, nobody was going to worry."
Starmer cements Trump relationship, but questions over White House stance remain
Chris Mason
Political editorEPAFor more than a century, a country house in the Chiltern hills of Buckinghamshire has been a retreat for the prime minister of the day.
Churchill, Thatcher, Gorbachev, Clinton – history’s cast list among those to host here and land here at Chequers.
But perhaps no visitor here has ever been as gustily unpredictable as today’s.
I have witnessed first hand – at least in public – the relationship between these two men from their first meeting a year ago in New York to now.
Keir Starmer has managed to cement a working relationship of mutual warmth and respect – and in so doing managed to tame the president’s more erratic tendencies when they appear together in front of the cameras.
Their instincts, communication styles and politics are wildly different, but Donald Trump’s disagreements with Starmer today were somehow channelled past him, rather than at him.
This state visit has provided the UK with invaluable face time with the president – and so the opportunity to both set out the UK’s position and attempt to persuade.
The prime minister has been successful in the former, but it’s more of an open question on the latter – with little evidence of the White House’s positions budging.
Trump's historic second state visit ends
Matt Spivey
Live page editorReutersAs Donald Trump and First Lady Melania depart London Stansted Airport on Air Force One, their state visit officially comes to an end.
The historic visit brought pomp and circumstance, mixed with diplomacy and an aptly named 'Transatlantic cocktail' served at last night's state banquet.
The presidential plane has left the runway and begins its journey back to the US.
But we'll continue to bring you the latest developments and analysis from our correspondents, as they unpack exactly what made up this "Transatlantic cocktail" of a visit.
President and first lady board Air Force One
President and first lady board Air Force One
BreakingBBC POOLReutersDonald and Melania Trump leave Marine One
BBC POOLReutersMarine One arrives at Stansted Airport
BBC POOLMarine One has landed, and the US president is at Stansted Airport in London.
He and the first lady will now board Air Force One to cross the Atlantic, and head back to the US.
You can follow along by clicking Watch live at the top of this page.
Air Force One awaiting Trump's arrival
BBC POOLWe're waiting for the Trumps to arrive on Marine One into London Stansted Airport.
There, Air Force One - the official aircraft of the US president - is waiting to take them back to the States.
Here's a closer look at the aircraft:
Watch: Moment president and first lady board Marine One
Donald and Melania Trump bid farewell to Chequers as they boarded Marine One to the sound of bagpipes.
Here's the moment they began the first leg of their journey back to the White House:
Trump and Melania depart Chequers
Did Trump know Lord Mandelson?
By Tom Edgington and Kevin Nguyen
Towards the end of the press conference, Trump was asked about Lord Mandelson - who was sacked as UK ambassador to the US following revelations about his friendship with the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
Trump said “I don’t know him actually”, before inviting Keir Starmer to comment.
But there are photos of Trump and Mandelson together, including in the Oval Office on 8 May this year at the announcement of the US-UK trade agreement.
Lord Mandelson recalled this meeting with Trump in an interview with Newsnight, saying:
“When I first walked into the Oval room, he [Trump] said ‘God, you’re a good-looking fellow, aren’t you”.
ReutersOn 9 September - two days before Lord Mandelson was fired - both were together in the White House alongside Scottish National Party leader John Swinney who published the photos of their meeting.
According to the Times, the pair “met several times” during Mandelson’s tenure as ambassador.
Trump pivots Epstein question
Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from Washington DCFor months now, Donald Trump and his administration have been doing everything they can to avoid further questions regarding Jeffrey Epstein - with the president often swift to dismiss it as a "dead issue" and snapping back at reporters who dare ask about it.
The fact that the UK's ambassador to Washington, Lord Peter Mandelson, was felled by that very issue created a situation of potential awkwardness when Trump arrived in the UK.
A worst case scenario for both men would have been to have a public disagreement on the issue, particularly if Trump had disagreed with the decision to remove Mandelson from his post.
Trump rather skilfully avoided this by claiming he does not know Mandelson, and passing the question onto Starmer.
His claim to not know Mandelson, however, rings hollow. The former ambassador met with him in the Oval Office as recently as 9 September - just two days before his dismissal.
And during Starmer's visit to the White House in May, Trump and Mandelson stood close together, with Trump praising his "beautiful accent".
In our next post, we'll bring you the latest from BBC Verify, who have looked into whether Trump knew Lord Mandelson.
Downing Street couldn't have hoped for that to go any better
Gary O'Donoghue
Chief North America correspondentIf I was Downing Street, I’d be cracking open a champagne right now.
You couldn’t have hoped for that to go any better.
Donald Trump was in one of those kinds of reflective moods. It’s obviously been a long visit and that has taken a toll to some degree.
There were opportunities for fireworks there. People laid some bait in terms of freedom of speech a couple of times. That wasn’t taken in terms of attacking the UK.
When it came to the recognition of Palestine, all that was said by Trump what “we disagree – it’s one of the few things we disagree on.” And then, he stopped.
Helicopter takes off as president begins first leg of journey home
The Marine One helicopter takes off from the lawn outside Chequers.
The US president and first lady are now on the first leg of their journey back home, after their brief state visit to the UK.
PoolTrumps board Marine One helicopter
PoolDonald and Melania Trump enter one in a long convoy of black vehicles.
They drive the short distance to Marine One in convoy, before stepping out and boarding the helicopter. The US president doesn't offer any comments as he leaves.
Trump and first lady leave Chequers
BreakingReutersDonald Trump and Keir Starmer have just stepped outside the Chequers door as the US president and first lady get ready to leave.
You can watch live at the top of the page.
Leaders questioned on Charlie Kirk, Jimmy Kimmel and Peter Mandelson
Tiffany Wertheimer
Live reporterReutersCharlie Kirk was a hugely influential figure during Donald Trump's second election campaign, and also in the White House, especially among young Republicans
Also mentioned several times during the news conference was the killing of Charlie Kirk.
Kirk, 31, a controversial right-wing activist, was shot dead at an event in Utah last week.
Trump said Kirk was "heinously assassinated for speaking his mind", adding that he thought Kirk had a "good shot at being president" one day.
When questioned about US talk show host Jimmy Kimmel, who has been suspended indefinitely over remarks he made about Kirk, Trump claimed he was fired "because he had bad ratings" and due to a "lack of talent".
And what about "the elephant in the room" - Lord Mandelson?
Trump said he never knew Mandelson, who last week was sacked as the UK's ambassador to the US when emails emerged showing the former cabinet minister was much closer to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein than previously known.
Starmer repeated that he fired Mandelson once he was told about those emails last week.
