Use the military to stop Channel crossings, Trump tells Starmer

PM steers clear of major clashes with president at end of two-day state visit

- Pippa Crerar

Donald Trump told Britain it should "call out the military" to control its borders, during a tightly controlled summit in which Keir Starmer ducked major flashpoints with the US president.

During a potentially difficult two-day state visit for Starmer's government, Trump for the most part avoided exploiting tensions, although he described Britain's plan to recognise a Palestinian state as "one of our few disagreements".

The UK is preparing to formally acknowledge Palestine as early as today, after Israel failed to meet conditions that would have postponed the historic step. Starmer insisted the timing had nothing to do with Trump's visit.

Trump's visit, which was officially hosted by King Charles, came at the end of a turbulent few weeks for Starmer in which he lost his deputy, Angela Rayner, and was attacked for his handling of the Peter Mandelson row, with his position as leader coming under question by his own MPs.

However, Downing Street sources said that his efforts in building a close relationship with Trump, despite criticism at home for doing so, had reaped rewards, with the pageantry of the state visit apparently helping to secure £150bn of promised investment in Britain by US companies.

At a closely managed press conference at Chequers, his official country residence, Starmer avoided major potential bear traps, including over Mandelson's links with the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The president dismissed a question about the former US ambassador.