Donald Trump hails ‘special’ Keir Starmer, praises Brexit and backs Chagos deal as grinning PM hands president invite for unprecedented second state visit in the Oval Office – but can he persuade the US to back Ukraine and spare UK tariff pain?

Donald Trump hailed ‘special’ Keir Starmer and praised Brexit tonight as they staged a love-in at the White House.

The smiling PM was greeted by the president with a warm handshake outside the famous building in Washington.

In the Oval Office, Sir Keir handed Mr Trump a letter from the King inviting him for an unprecedented second state visit, and he responded that he would be coming to the UK ‘soon’. 

Mr Trump gave a hint that Britain – which he described as the ‘No1 ally’ – could be spared tariffs as the US goes on the attack over what it claims are unfair trade arrangements with the rest of the world. 

Saying Brexit had ‘worked out’ after he accused the EU of ‘screwing’ America, the president said relations with the UK were ‘different’ and ‘warm’. Sir Keir interjected that the US had a slightly positive trade balance with Britain. 

And he suggested he would support the Chagos deal with Mauritius, in an apparent win for the PM. 

Sir Keir said the UK and US had the ‘closest relationship of any two countries when it comes to prosperity and security’. 

But the PM is facing a diplomatic high-wire act as he appeals for Mr Trump to stop Vladimir Putin ‘coming again’ after a rushed Ukraine peace deal, arguing America must help guarantee the terms.

Mr Trump claimed not to remember that he had described Volodymyr Zelensky as a ‘dictator’, acknowledging that things had got ‘testy’ despite their good relationship.

At one point he insisted that Kyiv joining Nato is ‘not going to happen’, echoing a Russian talking point by claiming that Joe Biden raising the prospect was what ‘started this whole thing’. 

In one flicker of tensions, vice president JD Vance swiped at ‘infringements on free speech’ in the UK while answering a question.

Sir Keir shot back: ‘We have had free speech for a very long time in the UK. I’m very proud of that.’ 

In the Oval Office exchanges:

• Mr Trump said he ‘had confidence’ that a deal with Russia for peace in Ukraine could hold, but he was taking an approach of ‘trust but verify’ with Putin;
• He suggested the raw minerals deal with Mr Zelensky, expected to be signed tomorrow, amounted to a security ‘backstop’. ‘I don’t think anyone’s going to play around while we’re there’
• Said he did not ‘remember’ calling Mr Zelensky a ‘dictator’ after the remark caused a huge backlash; 
• The president heaped compliments on Sir Keir, insisting the pair get along ‘famously’ and were in agreement on ‘almost everything’; 
• Sir Keir moved to correct Mr Trump after he repeated his claim that European countries had only loaned Ukraine money, saying it had been ‘gifted’ and would not be recouped. 

Mr Trump said: ‘It’s a great honour to have Prime Minister Starmer at the Oval Office.

‘It’s a very special place and he’s a special man – and the United Kingdom is a wonderful country that I know very well, I’m there a lot.

‘I’ll be going there and we expect to see each other in the near future – we’ll be announcing it.

‘We’re going to be discussing many things today, we’re going to be discussing Russia/Ukraine, we’ll be discussing trade and lots of other items, and I think we can say we are going to be getting along on every one of them.

‘We’ve had a tremendous relationship and, frankly, the Prime Minister and I have met twice before, and we get along very famously, as you would say, and I look forward to it very much.

‘We look forward to the day and the meeting, and we’ll be having a luncheon after this, and then another work session, and I believe we’re going to have a press conference at the end – so I look forward to it and, Mr Prime Minister, thank you very much.’

After being presented the letter from the King inviting him for a state visit, the US President said: ‘The answer is yes.

‘On behalf of our wonderful First Lady Melania and myself, the answer is yes and we look forward to being there and honouring the King and honouring really your country.

‘Your country is a fantastic country and it’ll be our honour to be there.

‘Thank you very much.’

Sir Keir responded: ‘Well thank you very much Mr President. I shall happily take that back to His Majesty.’ 

Asked if he could be persuaded to provide a backstop security position as part of a Ukraine peace settlement, Mr Trump said: ‘President Zelensky is coming to see me on Friday, Friday morning, and we’re going to be signing really a very important agreement for both sides, because it’s really going to get us into that country.’

He added: ‘It’s a backstop, you could say, I don’t think anybody’s going to play around if we’re there with a lot of workers and having to do with rare earths and other things which we need for our country.

‘We appreciate it very much and I look forward to seeing him. We’ll be talking about it and we’ll also be talking about that today with the Prime Minister.’

Reminded of his comment about Mr Zelensky being a ‘dictator’, Mr Trump said: ‘Did I say that? I can’t believe I said that. Next question, please go ahead.’

The US President said he was able to ‘get along with both’ Mr Zelensky and Putin.

He added: ‘I have a very good relationship with President Putin. I think I have a very good relationship with President Zelensky.’

He said: ‘It maybe got a little bit testy because we wanted to have a little bit of what the European nations had. You know, they they get their money back by giving money, we don’t get the money back. Biden made a deal. He put in 350 billion dollars and I thought it was a very unfair situation.’

Sir Keir intervened to say: ‘We’re not getting all of ours. I mean, quite a bit of ours was gifted. It was given. There were some loans, but mainly it was gifted actually.’

French President Emmanuel Macron corrected Mr Trump on the same point during his visit to Washington earlier this week.

Mr Trump said he would ‘always be with the British’ if they needed help. ‘You know, I’ve always found about the British – they don’t need much help,’ he said.

‘They can take care of themselves very well.

‘It sounds like it’s evasive but it’s not evasive. You know, the British have been incredible soldiers, incredible military, and they can take care of themselves.

‘But if they need help, I’ll always be with the British, OK? I’ll always be with them – but they don’t need help.’

Mr Trump seemed to contradict himself later when Sir Keir was talking about how the US and UK had always ‘absolutely backed each other up’.

‘Could you take on Russia by yourselves?’ Mr Trump said.

Sir Keir smiled and said: ‘Well…

On the deal to hand the British territory of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, and pay to lease back the UK-US Diego Garcia military base – which has been causing increasing alarm in the UK – Mr Trump seemed ready to support it. 

‘We’re going to have some discussions about that very soon and I have a feeling it’s going to work out very well,’ he said.

‘They’re talking about a very long-term, powerful lease, a very strong lease, about 140 years, actually. It’s a long time.

‘I think we’ll be inclined to go along with your country.’

He added: ‘It’s a little bit early, we have to yet be given the details, but it doesn’t sound bad.’

Mr Trump singled out Sir Keir’s wife Victoria during the on-camera chat, saying he was ‘very impressed’.

‘I think we have just a great relationship. We actually had a good relationship before. We’ve met a couple of times and I’m very impressed with him, and very impressed with his wife,’ he said.

‘I must say, she’s a beautiful, great woman.’

Sir Keir intervened to say: ‘I second that.’

Mr Trump continued: ‘And I said, ‘you’re very lucky’. He’s very lucky. And, no, we’ve had a very good relationship.’

Challenged if the UK would jeopardise its relationship with the US by seeking closer ties with the EU, Mr Trump said: ‘No, I don’t worry about that.’

The premier was given a boost before the encounter as US officials praised the UK’s commitment to hike spending on defence to 2.5 per cent of GDP, and the offer of troops for any Ukraine settlement.

A senior Trump administration official said this afternoon: ‘We’re very pleased with Prime Minister Starmer’s announcement to increase spending to 2.5 per cent of the UK is GDP. 

‘President Trump does continue to urge our NATO allies to increase their spending even further toward 5 per cent to address years of underfunding in the defense capabilities of NATO. 

‘We appreciate President Starmer’s leadership, also in his recent discussions committing British troops to help enforce peace once a deal is reached.’

However, eagle-eyed observers also noted that the Union Flag was being flown upside down at the Blair House residence where Sir Keir has been staying as a guest of the US – traditionally a distress signal. 

Mr Trump did not seem in a mood to change course on security guarantees last night, telling a Cabinet meeting the US would not be providing them ‘beyond very much’. He said ‘we’re going to have Europe do that’. 

The commander-in-chief suggested Ukraine could ‘forget about’ joining Nato, appearing to blame the alliance for Russia’s invasion. ‘That’s probably the reason the whole thing started,’ he said.

Mr Trump also insisted 25 per cent tariffs will be imposed on the EU, which he has said was formed to ‘screw’ the US. Britain is currently facing tariffs on steel exports, and the threat of ‘reciprocal’ tariffs to offset VAT – even though that is a general sales tax rather than a charge on imports. 

Speaking to reporters en route to Washington last night, Sir Keir confirmed he is ready to send thousands of British troops to keep the peace in Ukraine if Mr Trump secures a truce in the three-year-old war.

But he warned it would be an impossible mission unless the United States provides a military ‘backstop’ to British and European forces.

The PM said Putin would inevitably ‘come again’ unless the West is united in securing Ukraine’s future – potentially plunging the continent into war.

‘The reason I say the backstop is so important is that the security guarantee has to be sufficient to deter Putin from coming again,’ he said.

‘My concern is if there is a ceasefire without a backstop, it will simply give him the opportunity to wait and to come again because his ambition in relation to Ukraine is pretty obvious, I think, for all to see.’

He added: ‘I’m considering how we preserve peace in Europe and how we get a lasting peace in Ukraine.’

‘And I’m absolutely convinced that we need a lasting peace, not a ceasefire, and for that to happen we need security guarantees.

‘Precisely what that layers up to, what that looks like, is obviously a subject of intense discussion.

‘We will play our part and I’ve been clear that we will need a US backstop of some sort.’

The PM’s visit to the White House today is part of a frantic European effort to persuade President Trump not to abandon Ukraine and Europe.

The diplomatic push began with a visit by Emmanuel Macron to the White House on Monday and will continue when President Volodymyr Zelensky visits Washington tomorrow to discuss what security guarantees the US is prepared to offer in return for a share of valuable rare minerals.

All three leaders are expected to review progress at an emergency summit on European security in London on Sunday.

The Ukrainian president said the proposed deal on rare minerals ‘may be part of future security guarantees, but I want to understand the broader vision. What awaits Ukraine?’

The PM faces a diplomatic tightrope as he tries to avoid antagonising a President whose claim that President Zelensky is a ‘dictator’ and recent statements on issues like Nato and Gaza have horrified and alarmed senior ministers.

Yesterday Sir Keir pointedly referred to President Zelensky as Ukraine’s ‘democratically elected’ leader.

And Downing Street said he would push Mr Trump to agree that Ukraine’s leader must be involved in any peace talks on the future of his country.

But government sources acknowledged he is anxious to avoid a public row with the President, whose return to the White House last month has upended the post-war world order.

At a reception attended by Sir Keir last night, new ambassador to the US Lord Mandelson praised Mr Trump as a ‘very consequential president’.

The peer said it was a ‘very significant moment for our lives, between our two countries and indeed for all the freedom-loving democracies in the world’.

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary David Lammy has admitted there will be ‘no deal’ on handing over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius – and then paying to lease back the military base on Diego Garcia – unless Mr Trump agrees. 

Ahead of Sir Keir’s talks with Mr Trump, a Cabinet minister suggested the PM would not be ‘fact-checking’.

In an apparent swipe at Mr Macron – who attempted to correct Mr Trump on Ukraine funding during his own visit to Washington DC this week – Environment Secretary Steve Reed said Sir Keir did not need to be ‘performative’.

He told reporters during a Westminster lunch event: ‘I don’t think it is for the Prime Minister on any visit to be fact-checking, as you put it, his host – wherever that might be.

‘It’s for the British Prime Minister to advocate for the interests of the UK in a way that is most likely to secure the outcomes that we want. That is the approach the Prime Minister will be taking.

‘It’s not performative, it’s extremely serious about getting the outcomes we need, whether that would be on trade, on security, or on any other issues that might come up during those kinds of meetings.’