Today will involve less of a spectacular display than Windsor Castle, but there’s every chance this afternoon’s press conference could produce some fireworks
Good morning from Chequers. If you thought yesterday’s display of pomp and opulence was a bit on the nose, day two of Donald Trump’s state visit to the UK might be more your speed.
There’ll be a little pomp. Some buttering up – Trump will get a nice lunch, a tour of the Churchill archives at Chequers and a display by the Red Devils.
But the rump of the day will be discussions with Keir Starmer about trade, Ukraine, maybe the Middle East if they’re feeling brave.
And then will come the fireworks – a joint press conference, which is bound to go entirely as planned, and almost certainly won’t go off the rails within minutes.
Meanwhile, in Trump World:
- Trump’s hand was on display again
- He made a pretty egregious breach of royal protocol
- Jimmy Kimmel got cancelled
- Nigel Farage is disappointed
- Turns out Kash Patel is a Liverpool fan
Here’s everything that happened overnight that you need to know about
1. The hand. Oh god, the hand
Trump’s bad makeup was on full display yesterday as he posed for photos with the royal family
We’re not sure if he’s been on the sunbed more in recent weeks, or if the grey British sunlight is less kind to his complexion, but it looked even more poorly colour matched and pale than ever.
2. He slagged off Joe Biden in front of the King
Donald Trump went embarrassingly off-script during his state banquet speech, launching a political attack in front of the King in a major breach of protocol.
And in apparently scripted remarks, the US President referred to “free speech” and said the “Union Jack is ever flown” – which many will see as references to UK domestic politics.
The US President was speaking at a lavish state dinner in his honour at Windsor Castle, marking his second state visit to the UK.
Speaking publicly for the first time since arriving in the UK, Trump apparently veered away from his prepared remarks, turning to the King and saying: “We are, as a country, as you know, doing unbelievably well.”
Attacking his predecessor, he went on: “We had a very…sick country one year ago, and today I believe we’re the hottest country anywhere in the world.
“In fact, nobody’s even questioning it…but we owe so much of that to you.”
It’s considered against diplomatic protocol for a visiting head of state to make partisan or controversial political remarks during a speech at a state banquet – particularly when the monarch is present.
3. Speaking of free speech, let’s talk about Jimmy Kimmel
The other night, Jimmy Kimmel made a couple of jokes that some people didn’t really like.
First he made a remark – not strictly a joke – about MAGA being desperate to avoid the suggestion that Charlie Kirk’s murderer was “one of them” (which, as it turns out, he wasn’t) – and saying “they” were using it to score political points (which many of them were).
Then he made a joke about Donald Trump’s reaction to the assassination, playing a clip of the President being asked how he was doing following the murder of his friend.
Trump said he was doing OK, and immediately pivoted to how great his new White House ballroom was going to be.
It was an odd moment, for sure. And it’s not impossible that in that moment he used the pivot to avoid showing his genuine emotion about the death of Kirk.
It’s also possible he was just being Donald Trump. Callous. Only interested in talking about what makes him look great.
Kimmel compared his reaction to that of a four-year-old mourning the death of a goldfish. Harsh, but not unreasonable given the clip. And, we should be clear, not a joke about Charlie Kirk.
In any case, MAGA got upset about it. And Brendan Carr, the deeply weird guy Trump has installed as chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), which issues licences to regional broadcast affiliates, went on telly.
He suggested affiliate networks that run local broadcasters might want to think about pulling ABC, the network that broadcasts Kimmel’s late-night show, from its antennas.
You see, one of those big networks, Nexstar, has a $6.2 billion takeover deal they’re trying to get over the line. And the FCC would have to approve that deal.
Lo and behold, those two massive groups of local affiliates said they would pull ABC from the air unless ABC pulled Kimmel.
Which they did.
And that’s where we are. The free-speech loving Trump administration pressured broadcasters to axe a show they didn’t like because the host made fun of President.
4. Remember when I told you the FCC chair was weird?
This is what Brendan Carr, an adult man in charge of America’s airwaves, sent to reporters who approached him for comment.
5. Nigel Farage is disappointed
Nigel Farage is clearly disappointed that he didn’t get invited to the State Banquet last night.
Oh, he hasn’t mentioned it himself.
But Reform’s chairman Zia Yusuf has been publicly upset on his behalf.
And deputy leader Richard Tice chimed in to say the “snub” was “petty and pathetic”.
It’s worth noting, as veteran broadcast reporter Adam Boulton did this morning, that if Trump had asked for Farage to be there, he would have been invited.
6. Kash Patel’s Liverpool tie
One thing we didn’t have time to mention yesterday, because he was being dragged so very hard by all and sundry, was Kash Patel’s neckwear.
Trump’s hapless FBI Director attended his congressional hearing wearing a Liverpool FC tie.
Patel fondness for the Premier League, and support for Liverpool has gone somewhat under the radar, only revealed in occasional tweets.
But two things spring to mind. Firstly, if he showed up in Liverpool and said “Hi, I work for Donald Trump,” he’d probably get run out of town.
Secondly, it’s pretty unusual for an administration official to attend a congressional hearing wearing what amounts to promotional clothing for a sports team owned by a multi-million dollar American company, Fenway Sports Group.
7. Trump announced Antifa will be considered a terror group
In a Truth social post at 1.30am UK time, Trump announced that Antifa, a name for a loosely related, barely coordinated anti-fascist protesters without any real membership or leadership structure, is officially a terror group.
It’s a bit like declaring “football hooligans” or “Swifties” a terror group.
He posted: “I am pleased to inform our many USA. Patriots that I am designating ANTIFA, A SICK, DANGEROUS, RADICAL LEFT DISASTER, AS A MAJOR TERRORIST ORGANIZATION.
“I will also be strongly recommending that those funding ANTIFA be thoroughly investigated in accordance with the highest legal standards and practices. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Which is fun, because nobody’s really a “member” of Antifa. So it gives the administration pretty wide latitude to declare anybody they don’t like a member of Antifa.