Starmer meets Trump: ‘This is bankable. It shuts up Farage, it shuts up Badenoch’

Read time: 4 mins

In brief…

• The News Agents say the meeting between Starmer and Trump went “as well as it could have gone”, with the president praising the PM, and seeming to confirm British imports would not be subjected to tariffs.
• Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall say that Starmer, and his team, played into Donald Trump’s love of media showmanship by delivering a letter from King Charles, and presenting it in front of TV cameras and journalists.
• But, they say, nothing is guaranteed when it comes to Trump, and despite making positive noises while the leaders met, they admit what really matters here is what comes next.

What’s the story?

The 'special relationship' between the UK and US was put to the test this week as Keir Starmer and Donald Trump met in The White House – and it seems like it remains intact, for now.

During the meeting, Starmer presented a letter from King Charles ("A beautiful man, a wonderful man", said Trump), inviting him for a second state visit, while the president praised the Prime Minister's love for his country, and said he was a hard worker.

“Keir Starmer and his team have flown back to London, and the overwhelming sense that they will be feeling is relief,” says Lewis Goodall.

“For the TV cameras, it went basically as well as it could have gone.”

Trump also referred to Starmer as "terrific" in their discussions, and suggested a trade deal with the UK stood a "very good chance" of happening, and seems set to be free from tariffs placed on other countries.

Perhaps most notably, when grilled by the press in the Oval Office, Trump denied any memory of referring to Volodymr Zelensky as a "dictator".

"Did I say that? I can't believe I would say that."

He did.

Why Starmer's team will be celebrating the meeting

On the surface, and under the glare of the world’s media, the meeting between Starmer and Trump was a total success. Starmer charmed the president, the president praised the PM.

And this, in itself, is something for the UK government to celebrate.

"You know instantly if Trump likes you or loathes you," says Jon.

"Angela Merkel, it was clear Donald Trump absolutely loathed her. But from the get go, with Trump and Starmer together, it was clear that there was a rapport."

Jon says the letter from King Charles, while "obviously rehearsed", was pitched perfectly for the president's love of media showmanship.

"The man who, a year ago, was facing 91 criminal indictments, will soon become the first person in the long and storied history of the United Kingdom to go up and down the mall in a gold coach for a second time."

"Every day in the Oval Office, it is the Trump show. Trump understands the importance of the visual dynamic," Jon adds.

"He always wants to have a good visual that will accompany anything and the letter being produced and then held up for the photographers and for the camera crews, it was spot on, they judged it just right."

It won't only be considered a success on the international stage, The News Agents say the apparent success of the meeting will also bring Starmer some welcome political leverage when it comes to his right wing political opponents at home.

"After the torrid time Elon Musk has given the Starmer government, you've now got Trump saying he's working really hard, and is a tough negotiator," Lewis says.

"That is bankable. It shuts up Farage, it shuts up Kemi Badenoch.

"So many of his political enemies were desperate for him to fail here. They were desperate for Trump to set him up and knock him down."

What’s The News Agents’ take?

Smiles. Praise. A gratefully received letter from the king. Surely there's nothing for Keir Starmer and the UK government to be worried about when it comes to Trump, now they are back on UK soil?

Louis says the important thing isn't what took place in the Oval Office – it's what follows.

"They came out of yesterday with their relationship intact, and they can say and hope that, as a result, Starmer might be able to exert some influence on the crucial part of what happens next," says Lewis.

"Although Trump gave lots of warm words, didn't say anything negative, and he sounded positive as ever, he didn't he didn't box himself into anything.

"He didn't actually give an absolutely firm commitment on tariffs. He didn't say the UK will definitely be exempt. He didn't say for certain that he would approve returning the Chagos Islands. He just said it sounds positive."

Jon says a government insider told him Starmer's US visit was planned with the "utmost seriousness", and orchestrated with the same precision as a general election campaign.

"The big difference is, with a general election campaign, once the people have spoken, you win power, or you lose power," says Jon.

"With Donald Trump, you won yesterday, but does it mean you're going to win tomorrow?"

They agree that ultimately, Trump didn't give Starmer much – other than compliments, and some great headlines.

"I would say, without question, it was Keir Starmer's best day since he became prime minister, certainly his best set of headlines, his best news cycle," says Jon.

"And that has been delivered to him by none other than Donald Trump, who would have thought it?"

Listen to the latest episode of The News Agents.