Donald Trump is making two visits to the UK this year – a private trip focused on his Scottish golf courses, and a full-blown state visit in September, complete with a welcome from King Charles III.
The US president is spending time at his resorts in South Ayrshire and Aberdeenshire and is expected to meet Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Scotland’s first minister, John Swinney.
He also plans to open a new course dedicated to his Scottish-born mother.
While Downing Street has hailed the trip as a “historic” opportunity to strengthen UK-US ties, the invitation has sparked backlash.
Protesters have accused Trump of spreading hate, accelerating climate breakdown and undermining democratic norms.
A wave of demonstrations has been planned around both visits – with activists saying the UK should not be “rolling out the red carpet” for a leader with such a controversial record.
In Westminster, several MPs have spoken out against the state visit, with some calling it “inappropriate” and even urging parliament to deny Trump a platform altogether.
But White House sources say no parliamentary address is expected, and insist the trip is purely diplomatic.
So, is Trump’s upcoming state visit a smart move to preserve international relations – or a mistake that sends the wrong message?
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