Donald Trump's first official visit to the UK as US president was marked by a floating effigy, a bombshell interview, and a meeting with the Queen, all set against a backdrop of angry protests. The visit, which began on Thursday afternoon, was never going to be routine: the initial invitation for a full state visit had sparked so much outrage that it was debated in parliament.
Mr Trump and his wife Melania arrived at London Stansted on Air Force One, fresh from a tense Nato summit in Brussels. They were immediately taken by helicopter to the US Ambassador's residence in Regent's Park, avoiding road travel throughout the visit to bypass protest-lined streets and ensure efficiency.
At Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill, Prime Minister Theresa May greeted the president with a ceremonial welcome, including marching bands from the Scots, Irish and Welsh guards. Mrs May presented thoughtful gifts, including an illustrated ancestral chart of Mr Trump's Scottish heritage, and a dinner of smoked salmon, Hereford beef fillet, and strawberries and cream.
However, the evening was overshadowed by a bombshell interview with The Sun, published just before 23:00 UK time. In it, Mr Trump criticised Mrs May's handling of Brexit, saying she had 'wrecked' it, and suggested that Boris Johnson, who had resigned as foreign secretary days earlier, would make a great prime minister.
The comments were a significant blow to Mrs May, who had already faced the resignations of two top cabinet members over her Brexit plan. Securing a US trade deal after Brexit is crucial to her government's success, making the president's remarks particularly damaging.
Throughout the visit, Mr Trump avoided making additional enemies, but the controversy underscored the tensions surrounding his trip. The president's schedule included meetings with the Queen and other officials, but the interview remained a dominant talking point.
