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Keir Starmer should count himself very lucky.
Donald Trump’s second state visit to the United Kingdom could easily have been a diplomatic disaster for the prime minister — but instead, it passed without a single serious flashpoint.
At their joint press conference at Chequers, Trump could have chosen to embarrass his host on at least five different issues.
Instead, he let Starmer off the hook. Here’s how:
Palestine recognition
The UK’s imminent recognition of Palestinian statehood could have been the perfect clash point.
Trump had previously warned such a move might “reward Hamas”.
Yet when asked directly, he called it only a “disagreement” with Starmer, and even patted him on the back after Starmer stressed Hamas could play no part in a future Palestinian state.
That could have been an explosion — instead, it was a diplomatic cuddle.
Illegal migration and the military
Instead, it was this that became the biggest talking-point.
When the subject turned to small boat crossings, Trump gave his trademark hard line, saying Starmer could use the military to stop illegal arrivals.
He warned that migration “destroys countries from within.”
It could have made Starmer look weak, but he dodged the blow by pointing to the first flight taking off under his returns deal with France.
The headline was kept under control – for the moment. But more was to follow later…
Ukraine unity
Both leaders condemned Russia over the continuing war in Ukraine.
Starmer denounced missile strikes on Kyiv, while Trump said Putin had “really let me down”.
Conveniently for Starmer, here was one issue where he and Trump were singing from the same hymn sheet.
No conflict, no trouble.
Free speech row avoided
With Trump’s vice-president JD Vance having previously attacked European free speech laws, reporters tried to open a new rift.
Reporters in Chequers pressed Trump to say whether he agreed with his deputy, and whether this remained a major area of disagreement with Starmer.
Trump refused to take the bait, skipping the question altogether. That left Starmer free to pose as the great defender of British freedoms, “jealously and fiercely” — without a quarrel breaking out on stage.
But Trump is heading back to another ‘free speech’ row in the States, where chat show host Jimmy Kimmel has been suspended indefinitely over comments about the death of the right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.
It seems this time Starmer was the one who was lenient.
Mandelson, Epstein and the ‘elephant in the room’
The biggest landmine of all was Peter Mandelson.
Starmer had only just sacked his former US ambassador over ties to Jeffrey Epstein when Trump’s state visit began, and Trump himself had a past friendship with the disgraced financier and paedophile.
Asked directly if he sympathised with Mandelson, Trump brushed it off: “I don’t know him, actually.”
Starmer simply repeated his line about “new information” and escaped.
This could have been devastating — but Trump decided not to open the box.
And so the press conference passed with neither side suffering any damage. But politics never stands still.
Aftermath: brushing off Trump’s military advice
Trump’s suggestion that the UK should call out the military to tackle small boat crossings has attracted an instant response from Starmer’s team.
Business Secretary Peter Kyle said today (Friday, September 19) that the government did not need the army to secure the border, insisting the reinforced Border Force already has the powers it needs.
Kyle tried to cast the returns deal with France as a success — highlighting that two asylum seekers have now been deported under the “one in, one out” scheme — while carefully avoiding the impression that the UK was taking instructions from Washington.
It was a reminder that even when Trump doesn’t push too hard in person, his words can still reverberate uncomfortably afterwards.
Ministers are now firefighting to ensure the president’s comments cannot be seen to define their own policy.
Steel tariff
Meanwhile, hopes of a reduction in Trump’s steel tariffs have been dashed, with officials admitting privately that they see no prospect of the 25 per cent duty coming down.
It is another disappointment hidden behind the smiles of a “successful” state visit.
Vox Political‘s verdict
This was not so much a triumph of Starmer’s diplomacy as the gift of Trump’s restraint.
The prime minister looked steady and statesmanlike, but only because Trump let him.
Starmer may be tempted to claim success.
But the truth is that he survived this state visit not by brilliance, but by luck – and the unexpected benevolence of a mercurial foreign leader.
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Starmer’s lucky escapes: Trump went easy on him
Share this post:
Keir Starmer should count himself very lucky.
Donald Trump’s second state visit to the United Kingdom could easily have been a diplomatic disaster for the prime minister — but instead, it passed without a single serious flashpoint.
At their joint press conference at Chequers, Trump could have chosen to embarrass his host on at least five different issues.
Instead, he let Starmer off the hook. Here’s how:
Palestine recognition
The UK’s imminent recognition of Palestinian statehood could have been the perfect clash point.
Trump had previously warned such a move might “reward Hamas”.
Yet when asked directly, he called it only a “disagreement” with Starmer, and even patted him on the back after Starmer stressed Hamas could play no part in a future Palestinian state.
That could have been an explosion — instead, it was a diplomatic cuddle.
Illegal migration and the military
Instead, it was this that became the biggest talking-point.
When the subject turned to small boat crossings, Trump gave his trademark hard line, saying Starmer could use the military to stop illegal arrivals.
He warned that migration “destroys countries from within.”
It could have made Starmer look weak, but he dodged the blow by pointing to the first flight taking off under his returns deal with France.
The headline was kept under control – for the moment. But more was to follow later…
Ukraine unity
Both leaders condemned Russia over the continuing war in Ukraine.
Starmer denounced missile strikes on Kyiv, while Trump said Putin had “really let me down”.
Conveniently for Starmer, here was one issue where he and Trump were singing from the same hymn sheet.
No conflict, no trouble.
Free speech row avoided
With Trump’s vice-president JD Vance having previously attacked European free speech laws, reporters tried to open a new rift.
Reporters in Chequers pressed Trump to say whether he agreed with his deputy, and whether this remained a major area of disagreement with Starmer.
Trump refused to take the bait, skipping the question altogether. That left Starmer free to pose as the great defender of British freedoms, “jealously and fiercely” — without a quarrel breaking out on stage.
But Trump is heading back to another ‘free speech’ row in the States, where chat show host Jimmy Kimmel has been suspended indefinitely over comments about the death of the right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.
It seems this time Starmer was the one who was lenient.
Mandelson, Epstein and the ‘elephant in the room’
The biggest landmine of all was Peter Mandelson.
Starmer had only just sacked his former US ambassador over ties to Jeffrey Epstein when Trump’s state visit began, and Trump himself had a past friendship with the disgraced financier and paedophile.
Asked directly if he sympathised with Mandelson, Trump brushed it off: “I don’t know him, actually.”
Starmer simply repeated his line about “new information” and escaped.
This could have been devastating — but Trump decided not to open the box.
And so the press conference passed with neither side suffering any damage. But politics never stands still.
Aftermath: brushing off Trump’s military advice
Trump’s suggestion that the UK should call out the military to tackle small boat crossings has attracted an instant response from Starmer’s team.
Business Secretary Peter Kyle said today (Friday, September 19) that the government did not need the army to secure the border, insisting the reinforced Border Force already has the powers it needs.
Kyle tried to cast the returns deal with France as a success — highlighting that two asylum seekers have now been deported under the “one in, one out” scheme — while carefully avoiding the impression that the UK was taking instructions from Washington.
It was a reminder that even when Trump doesn’t push too hard in person, his words can still reverberate uncomfortably afterwards.
Ministers are now firefighting to ensure the president’s comments cannot be seen to define their own policy.
Steel tariff
Meanwhile, hopes of a reduction in Trump’s steel tariffs have been dashed, with officials admitting privately that they see no prospect of the 25 per cent duty coming down.
It is another disappointment hidden behind the smiles of a “successful” state visit.
Vox Political‘s verdict
This was not so much a triumph of Starmer’s diplomacy as the gift of Trump’s restraint.
The prime minister looked steady and statesmanlike, but only because Trump let him.
Starmer may be tempted to claim success.
But the truth is that he survived this state visit not by brilliance, but by luck – and the unexpected benevolence of a mercurial foreign leader.
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