Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard

5 notable moments from Trump’s first presidential visit to the UK

Donald Trump's first trip to the United Kingdom as president has been rife with controversy.

British Prime Minister Theresa May walks with U.S President Donald Trump prior to a joint press conference at Chequers, in Buckinghamshire, England, Friday, July 13, 2018. Despite controversial remarks from Trump, the two leaders praised each other following what seemed to be an amicable meeting.
British Prime Minister Theresa May walks with U.S President Donald Trump prior to a joint press conference at Chequers, in Buckinghamshire, England, Friday, July 13, 2018. Despite controversial remarks from Trump, the two leaders praised each other following what seemed to be an amicable meeting.Read moreJack Taylor
    by Katherine Nails
    Published 

Donald Trump is making his first trip to the United Kingdom as president. The trip comes just after Trump's controversial NATO statements and in the midst of Britain's heated Brexit politics.

His arrival to the country was met with both pomp and protests.

Here are key moments from what has happened thus far, and what is expected for the remainder of the trip:

1. An explosive interview with U.K. tabloid, The Sun 

Trump gave an exclusive interview to The Sun tabloid on Thursday.

In the interview, he criticized British Prime Minister Theresa May's Brexit plan, saying it would negatively affect England's trade with the United States. The plan, the Sun said, would try to "keep customs borders open with the EU."

Trump also:

  1. Said former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson would make a "great Prime Minister." Johnson is a conservative politician who's admired by Brexit supporters and abhorred by Brexit opponents. He was known to clash with May and resigned this week in a dispute over Brexit.

  2. Said "allowing immigration to take place in Europe is a shame," adding that he thinks it negatively affects European culture

  3. Said he felt "unwelcome" in London due to protesters

According to the New York Times, Trump said that the story the Sun published was "generally fine," but he wished it had included more about his "respect for the prime minister."

2. A tame black-tie dinner

On Thursday evening, Donald and Melania Trump joined May and her husband, Philip May, for a black-tie dinner at Blenheim Palace, the family home of Sir Winston Churchill, the Independent reported.

Also in attendance, said New York Magazine, were about 150 business leaders including the chief executives of Unilever, Barclays, GlaxoSmithKline, and Goldman Sachs International.

3. An amicable Friday press conference 

Trump and May held a joint press conference after meeting at the prime minister's country home in Chequers on Friday.

The two were respectful of each other, CBS said. May praised Trump's efforts to denuclearize North Korea and Trump apologized for the Sun article.

Among other issues discussed were Trump's relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin (with whom Trump will meet at a summit next week), immigration, NATO and Brexit.

>> READ MORE: Ahead of Trump's meeting with Putin, Mueller indicts 12 Russians for hacking DNC emails

4. An icy welcome from British citizens

Thousands took part in a London protest against Trump's presence and policies, CBS reported. The centerpiece of the protest was a 20-foot-tall balloon caricature of the president as a baby.

The pumpkin-colored blimp depicts an angry-looking trump Trump wearing nothing but a diaper and clutching a cell phone.

In an interview with CNN, balloon organizer Leo Murray said it was meant to show how the British view Trump.

"It's a popular perception that he is a big angry baby … anytime something doesn't go the way he likes he chucks his toys out of the pram," he said.

Earlier in the week, there was a grassroots campaign in England to make Green Day's "American Idiot" number one on the British pop charts.

5. Expected protests in Scotland

After a Friday afternoon tea with Queen Elizabeth, the president and first lady will fly to Scotland to spend downtime at Trump's Turnberry golf resort, New York Magazine reports.

Despite the lack of planned events, the trip is expected to be controversial.

Up to 10,000 people are expected to take part in protests, said The Scotsman, including a "Scotland United Against Trump" demonstration in Glasgow's George Square.

Scottish politicians have also voiced their disdain for the American president.

According to The Scotsman, Scottish National Party deputy leader Keith Brown criticized Trump prior to the president's arrival.

"Scotland rejects Trump's politics of division and hatred and we stand with our friends in the US who oppose him," Brown said.