2017 state visit of the United States to the United Kingdom

The 2017 state visit of the United States to the United Kingdom is a planned visit of President Donald Trump. The date has twice been postponed. The most recent indicated dates were October 5 through October 8, 2017, but the British government has since said that no date has been set.
Background
Prior to the presidency of Donald Trump, there had been two state visits made to the United Kingdom by a US President: George W. Bush in 2003; and Barack Obama in 2011. The very first visit of a sitting US president to the UK was made in 1918, by Woodrow Wilson. This was not, however, a state visit, for such requires the head of state to make the invitation and to act as the official host.
Every US President since the First World War has visited the UK while in office, except Coolidge, Hoover, Johnson, Ford and, as of June 2017, Trump.
Planning
In January 2017 Donald Trump accepted a state-visit invitation from British Prime Minister Theresa May on behalf of Queen Elizabeth II during a meeting in Washington, D.C. Originally planned for the summer of that year, it was postponed to early October.
According to a report published in The Times, the White House has requested a coach from the Royal Mews to transport the president.
Travel party
As of April 2017 the mode of travel has not been announced. However, during all UK visits by the US since 1947 the delegation has traveled with the United States Air Force.
Delegation
As of April 2017, the members of Trump's delegation have not been announced. Delegations during previous visits have included the First Lady of the United States, the United States Ambassador to the United Kingdom, the Chief of Protocol, members of the Cabinet of the United States, and confidantes of the president.
Entourage
During past visits, the president has been accompanied by an entourage of between 200 and 500 staff including his aides de camp, his personal assistant, a personal medical team of nurses and surgeons, several chefs, speechwriters, and a large protection detail of the United States Secret Service.
Order of events
, a full itinerary for the state visit has not been announced.
Public opinion
Competing online petitions at the website of the Parliament of the United Kingdom called for the state visit either to be canceled or to be maintained. During that debate, David Lammy MP stated "that there was no recent precedent for a state visit by the United States so soon after the inauguration of a new president". Simon Burns MP, however, said the visit should go ahead as it was in "Britain's national interest".
London Mayor Sadiq Khan called in early June 2017 for the visit to be cancelled, following critical comments made by President Trump in the wake of a major terrorist incident in Central London. Khan stated: "I don’t think we should roll out the red carpet to the president of the USA in the circumstances, where his policies go against everything we stand for."
The planned visit was not mentioned in at the State Opening of Parliament in June 2017.
 
< Prev   Next >