Key takeaways from Starmer's talks with Trump

UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has met US President Donald Trump during his archetypal sojourn to the White House.

Here are immoderate of the cardinal moments arsenic the brace took questions from reporters earlier and aft the talks.

Sir Keir did not crook up to the gathering empty-handed.

Part mode done their opening remarks, the premier curate reached wrong his overgarment pouch and pulled retired an authoritative missive from King Charles III - an invitation for a 2nd authorities visit.

Trump appeared to beryllium genuinely taken backmost for a fewer seconds, asking: "Am I expected to work it close now?"

After taking a infinitesimal to work the letter, Trump said helium accepted the invitation and that it would beryllium an "honour" to sojourn the "fantastic" country.

He added that King Charles was a "beautiful man, a fantastic man".

During Trump's archetypal word arsenic president, helium met King Charles's mother, the precocious Queen Elizabeth II, during a three-day authorities sojourn successful 2019.

Sir Keir said Thursday's invitation to big Trump erstwhile much for a 2nd afloat authorities sojourn was "unprecedented".

While cordial, the archetypal gathering successful the Oval Office betwixt Sir Keir and Trump near nary uncertainty that the US president hoped to beryllium firmly successful charge.

The gathering was a signifier we've present seen six times with overseas leaders astatine the Trump White House, including with French President Emmanuel Macron earlier this week: Trump taking power of the country and utilizing the accidental to get his ain messages, some home and international, crossed to the reporters there.

During their half-hour session, Trump leaned guardant and somewhat towards Sir Keir - wearing a astir identical, but somewhat antithetic coloured necktie to Trump's - dominating the speech and taking complaint of calling connected reporters.

A associated day quality league aboriginal began with a somewhat much diplomatic and matter-of-fact tone, with some Trump and Sir Keir lasting astatine their respective lecterns and going to sizeable lengths to lavish praise connected the other.

Trump joked helium would person been president 20 years agone with Sir Keir's "beautiful" accent.

At 1 point, Sir Keir was asked astir Trump's arguable telephone to marque Canada – a subordinate of the Commonwealth – the 51st authorities of the US.

"I deliberation you're trying to find a disagreement that doesn't exist," Sir Keir replied.

Trump interjected rapidly with the words "that's enough" earlier moving connected – again taking power of the country arsenic helium stood adjacent to a visibly amazed Sir Keir.

To enactment it gently, Sir Keir and Trump are from antithetic schools of authorities - some successful their benignant and substance.

But asked to sanction their similarities Trump said: "He loves his country, and truthful bash I."

What other bash they share? Trump said "we similar each other, frankly, and we similar each other's country".

But the "common thread" betwixt the 2 men was that "we emotion our country", Trump said.

Sir Keir had a fig of tricky topics to rise with Trump - from commercialized to US information guarantees for Ukraine - and astatine the opening of their quality league helium called his counterpart "a precise pugnacious negotiator".

Asked if the premier curate had convinced him not to enforce commercialized tariffs connected the UK, Trump said "he tried", adding: "He was moving hard, I'll archer you that. He earned immoderate the hellhole they wage him implicit there."

But helium has said determination was "a precise bully chance" of a commercialized woody "where tariffs wouldn't beryllium necessary".

Such a deal, Trump said, could beryllium made "pretty quickly".

Sir Keir spoke of a "new economical woody with precocious exertion astatine its core".

Trump said helium was "inclined to spell on with" the UK's Chagos Islands deal.

The UK is successful talks with Mauritius astir handing implicit the territory but continuing to lease 1 of the islands, Diego Garcia, which contains a UK-US subject airbase.

The statement has been mired successful uncertainty aft Trump's re-election arsenic US president, fixed respective US Republicans person argued it could present a imaginable information boost to China.

But during the meeting, Trump said helium had a "feeling" the woody was going to "work retired precise well".

Last week, Trump made headlines by calling Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky a "dictator" successful a societal media post, echoing Russian claims astir Kyiv's cancelled elections.

An predetermination was scheduled for May 2024, but it was suspended due to the fact that Ukraine has been nether martial instrumentality since Russia began its full-scale invasion.

Asked by the BBC's Chris Mason astir his usage of the connection "dictator", Trump replied: "Did I accidental that? I can't judge I would accidental that."

In the quality league later, Trump besides appeared to person softened his cognition to Zelensky, praising him arsenic "very brave" and saying the brace got connected "really well".

Talking astir the imaginable for a bid woody betwixt Ukraine and Russia, Trump said "progress towards peace" would proceed erstwhile Zelensky visits the White House connected Friday. The 2 are expected to motion a large minerals deal.

At the Munich Security Conference past week, US Vice President JD Vance attacked the UK and different European democracies, informing that "free code is successful retreat."

Asked astir the comments, Trump called connected his lawman to support himself. Vance argued "there person been infringements connected escaped code that really impact not conscionable the British" but besides "American exertion companies and by extension, American citizens".

That led to Sir Kier cutting in, saying "we've had escaped code for a very, precise agelong clip successful the United Kingdom - and it volition past for a very, precise agelong time".

He rejected Vance's claim, saying "in narration to escaped code successful the UK, I'm precise arrogant of our past there".