Trump UK visit live: Starmer calls US president ‘my friend’ as he praises ‘special relationship’ after talks

Donald Trump joked with his treasury secretary Scott Bessent and commerce secretary Howard Lutnick as he signed the US-UK tech deal alongside Sir Keir Starmer.

He said: “Should I sign this Howard? Scott? If the deal’s no good I’m blaming you.”

Donald Trump told business chiefs gathered at a meeting in Chequers they were “the best in the world.”

Speaking alongside Sir Keir Starmer, the US president told them: “This is a very distinguished group, I can tell you.”

He added: “You are the best, you’re the best in the world, and you’re here. And it’s an honour to have all of these great leaders.”

Sir Keir Starmer was keen to stress the strength of the UK’s “special relationship” with the US as he met business chiefs with Donald Trump on Thursday.

The prime minister used the term “special relationship” five times in just a few minutes, also dubbing the bond between the two nations an “incredible relationship” and a “unique relationship”.

Attempting to big up his connection with the US president, Sir Keir said the ties between the two countries was “the very foundation of our security, our freedom and our prosperity”.

Keir Starmer is desperate for economic growth but his government has so far struggled to get the investment.

However, the new tech partnership deal with the US could now be a turning point.

As Donald Trump just noted at the signing conference: “This new accord is already helping spur a massive wave of private sector deals worth over $350bn alone.”

Notably US financiers Blackstone have headlined this with a £136bn investment.

The deal puts the UK and US on a strong footing as an artificial intelligence super power and could open the door to massive expansion of nuclear energy.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Treasury secretary Scott Beasant were there today to get this over the line and it could not come soon enough for the autumn budget in a few weeks time.

My colleague Shaheena Uddin reports:

The UK and US partnership will get “stronger and stronger”, Donald Trump says, as he and Sir Keir Starmer sign a new tech prosperity agreement.

The US president told an audience of US business chiefs at Chequers: “With this agreement, our cherished friendship with the United Kingdom is getting stronger and stronger.

“Again, I want to thank the Prime Minister. He worked very hard on this, in getting this deal done.”

The deal has been “long in the making”, Mr Trump says, adding it was a “real honour” to be sat alongside Sir Keir.

After Sir Keir Starmer had finished speaking, Donald Trump took over, and praising the “unbreakable bond” between the UK and US.

He also hailed the “exquisite honour” of a second state visit.

He said: “(I’m) sincerely grateful to Prime Minister Starmer and Lady Starmer for welcoming us to this very special home, this beautiful place.

“And I was here a number of years ago, but somehow today, it looks even better, even more beautiful and even more historic. Melania and I are forever thankful to His Majesty King Charles the Third, and Her Majesty, Queen Camilla.

“Had a fantastic evening last night, but the exquisite honour of a second official state visit, the first ever.

“It’s the first time it’s ever been done, was really was an honour such great history, and to think it’s a first, it’s always nice to have a first, but the ties between our countries are priceless, and it’s really an inheritance, beautiful inheritance.

“Today, we’re making those ties closer than ever before. We’ve done some things that financially are great for both countries, and we work together, and it keeps us together.

“And I think it’s an unbreakable bond we have, regardless of what we’re doing today, I think it’s unbreakable.”

Sir Keir Starmer is putting on a diplomatic show, sitting straight-faced while Donald Trump praises the tariffs that are punishing British steelmakers.

The prime minister has had to listen to the US president boast about his country “taking in trillions of dollars from tariffs”.

“They’ve been so incredible for our country, so incredible,” Mr Trump said.

British steelmakers still face a 25 per cent levy on exports to the US, something Sir Keir has come under pressure to negotiate away.

Sitting alongside Donald Trump, Sir Keir tells business leaders he is “proud” of what the UK brings to the table in its relationship with the US.

He adds that the countries can “deliver more for working people”.

He said: “The UK is one of the world’s largest economies, maybe not quite on the scale of the United States, I concede, but my word, we punch above our weight, and we lead the world in expertise on quantum on AI, life sciences, financial services and more.

“We have the only trillion dollar tech sector in the West, outside of the US, again, I caveat. We have the best investment, the best universities, the most Nobel Prizes … here outside the US.

“That’s what we bring to the table, and we are proud of it. That’s why we both benefit from this incredible relationship.

“Look at the economic prosperity deal that we struck back in May. It was the first trade deal that the President made, and yes, it was the best deal as well.

“We have the lowest tariffs in the world in vital sectors, and that is some achievement. It was a tough negotiation, but we did it for a reason, because it’s a win for both sides, and because we knew that by working together, we could deliver more for working people.”