King Charles has invited Donald Trump to the UK for a state visit later this year.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer extended the offer to Trump with a personal letter from the King during his visit to the White House last week.
Trump told reporters he accepted the invite, saying it would be an “honour” to visit the “fantastic country.”
Trump had his first state visit in 2019 during his first term, making this an untraditional offer, as second-term presidents are typically invited to Windsor Castle for tea or lunch with the monarch instead.
Starmer referred to the invite for a second state visit as “truly historic” and “unprecedented.”
The King proposed a meeting in Scotland, either at Dumfries House or Balmoral Castle, to discuss the logistical details of the state visit.
Starmer’s meeting with Trump occurred the day prior to a heated meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy, which Zelenskyy later described as “regrettable” on social media platform X (formerly Twitter).
On Tuesday, just days after Trump accused Zelenskyy of “gambling with World War Three” in the Oval Office, Trump paused all US military shipments and aid to Ukraine.
Several Scottish MPs have expressed opposition to a state visit made by Trump under current circumstances.
First Minister John Swinney, who endorsed Kamala Harris in last year’s election, posted on X following Zelenskyy’s visit to the Oval Office last week:
“Today’s events in Washington are a clear cause for deep concern, for shock, for anger.”
While Swinney has commended Starmer for trying to find a way forward with the US, he has criticised plans for a state visit.
On Tuesday, in an address to Scottish Parliament to affirm his solidarity with Ukraine, Swinney referred to a second state visit as “unthinkable.”
He suggested that he would be open to welcoming Trump to Scotland if the US explicitly backed Ukraine:
“So, if a state visit could help solidify US support for Ukraine, if that is part of what supporting Ukraine means in practice, then it is a possibility.”
“For that to be true, however, the US would have to sustain the steadfast support of Ukraine, her independence and territorial integrity.”
Meanwhile, MP Stephen Flynn expressed resolute disagreement with the King’s offer, writing on X: “Starmer had better get back up off his knees and revoke that offer of a state visit.”
Several Edinburgh students informed The Student that they disagree with President Trump’s visit, with one explaining that “it sends the wrong message when the government is meant to be committed to fully supporting Ukraine while Trump isn’t.”
An online petition demanding Trump’s second state visit be cancelled has received almost 200,000 signatures.
Correspondingly, The Scottish Green Party co-leader Patrick Harvie has forecasted “protests and a great deal of anger” around Trump’s visit.
Starmer publicly dismissed calls to withdraw, stating:
“I’m not going to be diverted by the SNP or others trying to ramp up the rhetoric without really appreciating what is the single most important thing at stake here – we’re talking about peace in Europe.”
Starmer spoke to both Trump and Zelenskyy on Friday evening, and has been taking steps to offer UK leadership to Ukraine where the US is drawing back.
“Volodymyr Zelensky & Donald Trump 02” by Thiện Ân is marked with Public Domain Mark 1.0.