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Starmer must grin and bear the brickbats - and spend his limited political capital wisely
The Guardian
|September 16, 2025
Donald Trump has repeatedly described Keir Starmer as a “good man”, distancing himself from the attacks on the prime minister mounted by other figures on the US right such as Elon Musk.
One of the many unknowns, however, of a Trump state visit is which version of Trump will show up. The US president is often a bundle of contradictions. During his first state visit in 2019 most UK diplomats said he was a picture of affability, yet he conducted an interview with the Sun in which he insulted Theresa May and said Boris Johnson would make a great prime minister.
Starmer as host will have to grin and bear whatever brickbats Trump sends his way about the state of free speech in the UK, recognition of the state of Palestine, immigration or the possibility that Reform UK will lead the next government. The one thing the Foreign Office knows is that the normal rules of state visits do not apply.
This story is from the September 16, 2025 edition of The Guardian.
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