US President Donald Trump 'to finally make state visit to UK in June'
2 min read
US president Donald Trump will make a full state visit to the UK in early June, it has been reported.
The BBC's North America editor Jon Sopel said on Monday night that the trip would be announced by the White House in the "next 48 hours".
Buckingham Palace is also expected to confirm the visit, which is likely to coincide with the 75th anniversary of D-Day on 6 June - two-and-a-half years after Theresa May first passed on the invitation.
The Sunday Times reported this weekend that the Queen was preparing to formally invite the President for a state visit in June, followed by a US trade delegation to Britain in September.
The trip is expected to include a banquet at Buckingham Palace as well as a carriage procession.
But the move to welcome President Trump with the pomp and ceremony of a full state visit will almost certainly spark major protests.
A previous visit to Theresa May's Chequers country estate last July was met with tens of thousands of protestors taking to the streets in cities including London and Edinburgh.
Speaker John Bercow meanwhile warned in 2017 that he could block any attempt at a parliamentary address by the US commander-in-chief, saying he was "strongly opposed" to a Westminster Hall speech by the US leader.
"We value our relationship with the United States, if a state visit takes place that is way beyond and above the pay grade of the Speaker," Mr Bercow at the time.
"However, as far as this place is concerned I feel very strongly that our opposition to racism and to sexism and our support for equality before the law and an independent judiciary are hugely important considerations in the House of Commons."
President Trump's previous visit to the UK also saw him wade into the debate over Brexit, telling The Sun that the Prime Minister's EU proposals would "kill" any hopes of a trade deal with the United Staes.
He then accused the outlet of "fake news" as he appeared alongside the Prime Minister for a Chequers press conference and insisted a trade tie-up “will absolutely be possible”.
The White House and Downing Street have also been at odds on numerous occasions during President Trump's time in office, including over comments he made on the NHS and America's decision to relocate its Israeli embassy to Jerusalem.
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