Will Donald Trump’s second state visit be downgraded?
Donald Trump claims his second state visit will take place in September 2025 – but some in the know have said they doubt it will happen – due to his unpopularity in the UK, and King Charles’ recent visit to support Canada in trade wars with the US.
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In brief…
- Donald Trump seems to believe his second state visit will take place in September 2025 – but according to sources, The News Agents have been told this could be downgraded to dinner at Balmoral.
- King Charles is in Canada this week to show support for the commonwealth country, having waited for the UK to sign a trade deal with the US before standing against Trump in his ambition
- The News Agents believe the silence on Trump’s second state visit and its likely timing is the most telling of all, and do not believe it will ever happen.
What’s the story?
When Keir Starmer met Donald Trump in the Oval Office in February 2025, he offered him a formal invitation from King Charles to visit the UK for a second state visit.
If this goes ahead, Trump would be the first president ever to be given such an honour. Previous US presidents, even Barack Obama, were only invited for a cup of tea with Queen Elizabeth during their second trip to Great Britain.
But as time has passed since the Royal invitation was handed to the president and convicted felon, there have been doubts and whispers that it may never happen – as Trump brings chaos to the world with his America First policies, such as his infamous import tariffs, and plans to make Greenland and Canada part of the USA.
And Canada is where King Charles has been this week, with the symbolism of his brief visit not being lost, and the implications of it seemingly making it even more unlikely that Trump’s second state visit will ever happen.
He is set to give a speech in Canada’s parliament supporting its independence from the US.
“King Charles is not going to say anything that's overtly critical of Donald Trump or the United States of America,” says Jon Sopel.
“But just by quietly being there he is making a statement.
“And I think that's how Britain likes to think it operates.”
Why the timing of King Charles’s Canada visit is so telling
Canada remains part of the British commonwealth, and Lewis says its population has been unhappy that Charles, the de-facto monarch of the country, has not spoken in support of its sovereignty more since Trump came to power.
But there's a good reason for that – with Keir Starmer’s Labour government playing things very safe with Trump since his inauguration in January, and not wanting to rock the boat before securing a concession on his tariffs, which was achieved in May 2025.
“The United Kingdom has been at pains to try and keep relations between the UK and Trump as close as possible,” Lewis says.
“So much so we made the prospect of an official invitation from the king for a state visit.
“This has clearly been a bit of a delicate dance for the Royal Family to try and perform in a way that they have not had to in recent times.”
But with that deal now in place, King Charles has made his move to show solidarity with the people of Canada.
“You can be sure that the king is not going to be as crude as to say, ‘Canada is not going to become the 51st state’,” Jon Sopel says.
“But that is the intention – very quiet, very silkily – to just make it absolutely clear that Canada is not for sale.
“He is planting the Union Jack very firmly in Canadian soil – as well as the maple leaf flag – and it's not going to be the Stars and Stripes anytime soon, at least while this king is on the throne.”
So where does this leave Trump’s second state visit?
There are three things Donald Trump loves: being the centre of attention, playing golf, and the Royal Family – which is why making history as the first ever US president to receive a second state visit invite was a smart move from Starmer, tapping into two of these three.
But when is that likely to be? Donald Trump has suggested it will take place in September 2025.
“It is telling that no date has transpired,” says Lewis.
“It's been some time now since Starmer went to the Oval Office and offered it no date.”
But rumours suggest that may not happen, and that Trump, like other world leaders, will be downgraded to something a little less formal.
“Donald Trump wants to come to Scotland this summer for the opening of his new golf course,” says Jon.
“Even more important to him than a second state visit is playing 18 holes in Aberdeen.”
Jon adds that his Royal sources have told him that what is more likely to happen now is that King Charles invites him over to Balmoral for "a bit of a knees-up" and impresses him with bagpipes and dinner.
“I was told that Charles and Camilla really enjoy Donald Trump's company,” Jon adds.
“They find him immensely entertaining, a great raconteur and storyteller, and they like quietly trying to just usher him into a different direction on certain policy positions.”
Scaling back Trump’s visit could have benefits for both the Royals and Starmer – with the US president having few fans in the UK.
“There's a lot of consensus in all of the polling with the British public that most, left to right, don't like Trump,” Lewis adds.
“They find him uncouth. They find him boorish. They find him unpredictable.”