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By Moya Lothian-McLean
Ms. Lothian-McLean is a contributing Opinion writer and a journalist who covers British politics and culture. She wrote from London.
In February, on a desperate diplomatic trip to the White House, Prime Minister Keir Starmer of Britain pulled out a card from the inside pocket of his plain black jacket. Gingerly, he presented it to President Trump: It was, he explained, an invitation from King Charles III for Mr. Trump to make a second state visit to Britain. The honor of a visit is traditionally extended to American leaders in only their first term in office. A second visit, Mr. Starmer was quick to point out, would be “truly historic.”
On Tuesday, Mr. Trump will make good on the offer and pitch up in Britain for two days of pageantry. There will be less outrage than during his first state visit in 2019, but major protests are still planned. The American president is very unpopular in Britain. Three-fifths of the British public disapprove of him, according to one poll, and the top words associated with him include “idiot” and “dangerous.” The government’s obsequious approach has attracted only scorn. Over here Mr. Trump is an easy punchline, not a president.
