Trump’s UK visit heavy on pageantry, light on policy

President Donald Trump’s second visit to Britain was marked by royal ceremonies and soft deals rather than a meaningful breakthrough in trade and geopolitical tensions between the two countries.

King Charles III welcomed President Trump and hosted a state dinner praising his leadership, while UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer emphasized goodwill over confrontation about America’s stance in the Ukraine and Gaza conflicts.

Political analysts noted the visit had very few policy wins for the UK, with Trump leaving without making concessions on tariffs.

However, Starmer called the US-UK advanced technology partnership a major business win, though critics argue that the tech companies would have built data centers anyway.

The countries also agreed on a trans-Atlantic deal on civil nuclear technology that could help the UK lead in small modular reactors.

Overall, the visit underscored Britain’s delicate balancing act of flattering Trump while hoping for modest dividends.