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Sat, 23 November 2024

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By Mark White, HW Brands, Iwan Morgan and Anthony Eames
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Donald Trump to finally visit Britain 'later this year', Downing Street confirms

2 min read

Donald Trump will finally make his first visit to the UK as US president later this year, Downing Street has confirmed.


Officials from Number 10 and the White House are to begin work on "finalising the details" of the trip.

The announcement came after Theresa May and President Trump held talks at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

Speaking afterwards, the maverick Republican insisted the pair "like each other a lot" despite a series of bust-ups since he took office a year ago.

President Trump had been due to visit London next month to officially open the new US embassy, but dramatically pulled out.

He claimed the decision was a protest at the "bad deal" struck on the building by the Obama administration, but it is understood he was angry at criticism aimed at him by British politicians, including the Prime Minister.

In November, Mrs May said the president had been "wrong" to retweet posts from far-right group Britain First - prompting the property tycoon to say the Prime Minister should concentrate on tackling terrorism in the UK.

The pair have also had run-ins over President Trump's decision to withdraw from the Paris climate change accord, and his criticism of London mayor Sadiq Khan in the wake of last year's terror attacks.

It is unclear whether the trip will be the full state visit which the president was offered when Mrs May became the first foreign leader to meet him after his inauguration last year.

Downing Street had initially hoped it would take place last summer, but no date was ever agreed amid claims President Trump is worried about the level of protests he is likely to face.

As well as the visit, the pair also discussed Brexit, the situation in Iran and Syria, and America's controversial decision to apply tariffs to aeroplane parts built in Northern Ireland by Bombardier.

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