One of the many known unknowns, however, of a Trump state visit is what kind of Trump will show up when a microphone is placed in front of him. The US president is often a bundle of contradictions. During his first state visit in 2018 most UK diplomats said he was a picture of affability, yet he took it upon himself to conduct an interview with the Sun in which he insulted Theresa May, and said Boris Johnson would make a great prime minister.
Britain is set to welcome Donald Trump for a historic second state visit this week. The King will host the US president and his wife, first lady Melania Trump, at Windsor Castle, where they will be feted with a ceremonial welcome, a 150-guest state banquet, and a flypast by the Red Arrows and UK and US F-35 military jets. The Trumps are due to arrive at the castle's private estate on Tuesday evening,
Peter Mandelson was unceremoniously sacked as the UK's ambassador to Washington on Thursday after emails were published in which he had urged his friend Jeffrey Epstein to fight for early release from prison in 2008. For Trump, whose own friendship with Epstein has exposed him to damaging scrutiny, including from his own support base, there is no subject he wants to revisit less.
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.