7 strīdīgi jautājumi, kas seko līdzi Trumpa valsts vizītes laikā

Keir Starmer thought he had secured a royal flush when he offered Donald Trump an “unprecedented” invitation for a second state visit earlier this year.

Now the big event has officially settled in, and the Prime Minister couldn’t be any worse.

Any visit by a different republican, who is quite unpopular in the UK, presents a rather tense moment for British politicians who have to accommodate him.

But Starmer’s most unpredictable ally is now arriving in town, just as Downing Street faces problems coming from all sides.

Here’s a look at some of the issues likely to plague Prime Minister Trump during his hurried 48-hour stay.

Trump desperately tried to downplay questions about his past connection to the late convicted sex offender in the US, but fresh revelations continue to revive questions about their friendship and have set it off across the pond.

A political campaign group called Everybody Hates Elon unveiled a giant image of Trump and Epstein outside Windsor Castle on Monday, ahead of his visit.

Epstein’s current legacy has also sent ripples across Britain in recent days.

Starmer fired his US ambassador, Labour’s Lord Peter Mandelson, last week.

This came after newly released emails from 2008 revealed that Mandelson had called for Epstein to be sentenced to 18 months in prison for soliciting a child for prostitution.

Starmer said: “Had I known then what I know now, I would never have appointed him.”

Trump, who had a strong connection with Mandelson, was reportedly upset that Starmer did not inform him about the ambassador personally.

The two men are likely to face some very difficult questions on the issue during their joint press conference on Thursday.

Trump is known for seeing himself as a “winner” and wanting to surround himself with other supposed winners – including Starmer, who won the general election in a landslide – even if they are not politically aligned.

But just over a year later, the prime minister now faces repeated questions about his future in the role – could Trump soon cool down on Starmer?

After 12 months of unpopular policies such as welfare and cuts to international aid, the Prime Minister attempted to turn over a new leaf on September 1, promising a period of “delivery, delivery, delivery”.

However, the scandal surrounding Angela Rayner’s second property and her subsequent resignation, the sacking of Mandelson and the sudden departure of Starmer’s director of political strategy, Paul Ovenden, and the over-repeated reports about Diana Abbott mean that the Prime Minister is looking particularly weak at the moment.

Even his own MPs doubt whether he will last until Christmas.

Those who opposed the US president are hoping to stage an even bigger demonstration against him following a far-right march led by Tommy Robinson over the weekend.

They are set to gather outside Windsor Castle from 5.30pm today, although Trump will not visit the Royal Residence until Wednesday morning, but protesters are hoping he will see it in the media.

Meanwhile, Lib Dem leader Ed Davey will show his displeasure at Trump’s appearance by boycotting the state banquet tomorrow.

Similarly, Green Party MP Ellie Chowns has tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM) saying that Trump does not “deserve the honour of a second UK state visit” because of the Epstein scandal.

She also criticized the use of US F-35 military jets during the Red Arrows flight, as the planes are being used by Israel in its war on Gaza.

Viņa sacīja: “Valsts apmeklējumi ir apbalvojumi; Trump to nav pelnījis.”

Viņas ierosinājumu atbalstīja septiņi citi deputāti, ieskaitot Džeremiju Korbinu.

Starmers ir nokārtojis vizīti, tāpēc tas notiek parlamentārā padziļinājuma laikā, tāpēc deputāti nespēj izrādīt savu potenciālo nicinājumu pret prezidentu klātienē, bet ir zināms, ka Trump ir dedzīgs ziņu lasītājs un drīz vien varēja uzzināt par pretestību viņa klātbūtnei šeit.

Labējā spārna komentētāja un Maga pro-MAGA kampaņas dalībnieka Čārlija Kirka slepkavība pagājušajā nedēļā ir aktivizējusi starptautiskās debates par robežu starp runas brīvību un naida runu- ieskaitot Trumpa administrāciju.

Kā pierādīja, ka nedēļas nogalē, kas pazīstams kā galēji labējie rallijs, kas pazīstams kā “apvienotās karalistes” gājiens, ir arvien vairāk cilvēku, kuri apgalvo, ka Lielbritānijā ir apdraudēta runas brīvība.

Bijušais Trumpa padomnieks Elons Musks pat parādījās, izmantojot video saiti, lai pastāstītu pūļiem, ka “vardarbība nāk” uz Lielbritāniju un aicinātu uz “valdības maiņu Lielbritānijā”.

Kaut arī – Kā atzīmēja Ministru kabineta ministri – Pats rallijs bija pierādījums tam, ka runas brīvība ir dzīva un labi Lielbritānijā, pastāv bailes, ka Trump varētu atdzīvināt šīs debates viņa uzturēšanās laikā.

Atrodoties no valsts vizītes varenības, Starmers arī vēlas panākt zināmu progresu, apturot Krievijas karu Ukrainā – ar Trumpa palīdzību.

Kamēr ASV prezidents vairākkārt ir piedalījies Vladimirā Putins, cenšoties izbeigt konfliktu, šķiet, ka viņa neapmierinātība par Maskavas atteikšanos nonākt pie sarunu galda, šķiet, liek viņam beidzot saskaņot ar saviem Eiropas sabiedrotajiem.

Trump beidzot atzīts Tas, ka Krievija nedēļas nogalē bija karā agresors un sacīja, ka viņš vēlas Maskavai noteikt sekundāras sankcijas.

Tomēr viņš apgalvoja, ka viņš to darīs tikai tad, ja citas NATO valstis pilnībā atšķirtu Krievijas lēto fosilā kurināmā eksportu.

Pirms kara ES ieguva apmēram 45% no savas dabasgāzes no Krievijas. Paredzams, ka tas samazināsies līdz aptuveni 13%, bet tas varētu nebūt pietiekami tālu, Pēc Trumpa teiktā.

Tas, ko viņš sauca par vēstuli NATO sabiedrotajiem, viņš teica: “Daži krievu naftas iegāde ir šokējoša! Tas ievērojami vājina jūsu sarunu stāvokli un sarunu par Krieviju.”

Ukrainas prezidents Volodymyr Zelenskyy ir arī pieprasījis “skaidru pozīciju” no Trumpa, lai izbeigtu karu, piebilstot: “Es ļoti ceru, ka viņš [Starmer] varēs veikt ļoti specifisku diskusiju par ASV drošības garantijām Ukrainai. ”

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio is clearly not a fan of Labor’s plans to recognize the state of Palestine later this month during the UN General Assembly.

During his visit to Israel, he supported Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and said the UK move would have “no impact” on progress towards a two-state solution and would instead simply “embolden Hamas”.

He argued that Britain, along with France, Canada, Australia, and Belgium, did so only because of their domestic problems.

While Starmer secured the first tariff deal with Trump earlier this year after his so-called “liberation day,” Britain still wants to get a grip on the US president’s ongoing penalties on steel and aluminum trade.

But there is reportedly little sign of a meeting between Chancellor Rachel Reeves and her US counterpart Scott Bessent on the subject during this state visit.

Technology and energy deals are also expected to be announced during Trump’s trip, which could help power new AI data centers.

Starmer will have to perform a delicate balancing act to ensure that none of these sore spots threaten his strong relationship with the mercurial US president.