CHECKERS, England — President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday pledged to renew what both described as the “special relationship” between their nations, announcing new deals spanning defense, trade and technology while confronting sharp questions over global conflicts and domestic policies.
Speaking at Checkers during Trump’s second state visit, Starmer cast the agreements as a “new era” for the transatlantic alliance. He said the U.S. and U.K. were now “first partners” not only in defense and trade but also in science and technology, pointing to a pact signed earlier in the day that he said would allow the allies to shape the 21st century together.
“This tech partnership has the power to change lives,” Starmer said. “It’s our chance to ensure that technologies like AI and quantum amplify human potential, solve problems, cure diseases, make us richer and freer, strengthen the cause of democracy, not tyranny.”
The prime minister touted what he called record-breaking investment — about £250 billion flowing both ways across the Atlantic, which officials said would support 15,000 high-skilled jobs in Britain. He emphasized that defense remains the “cornerstone” of the relationship, pledging to remove barriers to joint development of new technologies such as submarines and fighter jets while reaffirming support for Ukraine and efforts to de-escalate violence in the Middle East.
Trump, appearing alongside Starmer, hailed the “unmatched” bond between the two countries, recalling the pomp of a state banquet at Windsor Castle the previous night hosted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla. “The United States and the United Kingdom have done more good on this planet than any two nations in human history,” he said.
The president highlighted what he described as record-setting U.S. economic performance, claiming $17 trillion in new investment over eight months and attributing lower inflation to his “drill, baby, drill” energy policy. He promised Britain a secure supply of advanced AI hardware and software and committed to joint initiatives in quantum computing and nuclear power.
While both leaders sought to project unity, differences surfaced on sensitive issues. Starmer defended Britain’s readiness to recognize a Palestinian state as part of a wider peace process, a step Trump resisted until hostages held in Gaza are released. The two also diverged on energy, with Starmer insisting on a pragmatic mix of oil, gas and renewables, while Trump dismissed wind power as “a very expensive joke.”
On Ukraine, Trump expressed disappointment in Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying the conflict would not have erupted under his leadership. “He’s let me down,” Trump said, while insisting that lower global oil prices could force Moscow to seek peace. Starmer warned that recent Russian strikes on diplomatic sites and incursions into NATO airspace showed “the actions of someone who does not want peace.”
The joint press conference also touched on immigration, with Trump urging military measures to halt illegal crossings and Starmer pointing to recent returns flights from Britain as evidence of progress. Both leaders defended their commitment to free speech but with different emphases: Starmer underscored limits to protect children from harmful online content, while Trump lamented the firing of U.S. talk show host Jimmy Kimmel and mourned the killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, which he described as an assassination.
Despite such contrasts, both men underscored the continuity of a partnership that has shaped world affairs from Normandy to NATO. “Time and again,” Starmer said, “British and American men and women have stood side by side, turning history towards our values: freedom, democracy and the rule of law.”
Trump echoed the sentiment. “We will always be friends,” he said. “We will always be together.”
