Donald Trump state visit begins TODAY - what to expect from ceremonial trip

Donald Trump will touch down in the UK on Tuesday for an unprecedented second state visit.

The King will host the US president and first lady Melania Trump at Windsor Castle, where they will be treated to a ceremonial welcome and a state banquet on Wednesday.

Mr Trump will also meet Keir Starmer for talks on Thursday at Chequers, his grace and favour residence, with MPs urging him to ramp up pressure on the US to secure relief from tariffs.

But the ceremonial affair risks being derailed by looming questions about Jeffrey Epstein. The Prime Minister is under pressure after he sacked US ambassador Peter Mandelson over his association with the notorious paedophile.

Mr Trump has also faced questions over his own ties to Epstein, as well as pressure from his supporters to release more information on the investigations into the disgraced financier.

The departure of Lord Mandelson - who had built up close ties with the White House - also risks destabilising Mr Trump’s visit. His deputy James Roscoe is taking over the ambassador role on an interim basis until a permanent replacement is appointed.

Elsewhere, the US President is said to be considering using the state visit to confront Mr Starmer about free speech amid US concerns. Vice President JD Vance has previously claimed the UK is going down a “very dark path” over free speech and has been critical of Britain’s Online Safety Act.

In August, a report produced by the Trump administration said human rights in the UK had “worsened” over the last year, with specific references to what it described as restrictions on freedom of speech.

The wars in Ukraine and Gaza are expected to be on the agenda during the visit, while the PM will also be hoping to secure a deal to remove tariffs on steel in the UK. The two world leaders are also set to sign a new agreement to turbocharge the build-out of new nuclear power stations.

During Mr Trump's first state visit in 2019, thousands of people turned out on the streets in London in opposition. A similar protest is planned in central London ending near Parliament on Wednesday, with a smaller demonstration in Windsor Tuesday.

Police are set up to deal with a very high threat level because of the nature of the visit. Assistant Chief Constable Christian Bunt, from Thames Valley Police, said he is "content" with the force’s security plans despite expected protests and the recent assassination of Trump ally Charlie Kirk.

He said: "We are constantly keeping under review our approach to these operations. We're doing that on a daily basis, right through the planning phase.”