London, Wednesday – The streets of London echoed with chants, placards, and the distant hum of helicopters as thousands gathered to protest against U.S. President Donald Trump’s state visit to the United Kingdom. Yet, just 25 miles away in Windsor, the president was being ushered into a gilded world of royal pageantry, carriage rides, and ceremonial salutes.
The sharp contrast captured the dual nature of Trump’s relationship with Britain: celebrated by some, scorned by many, and impossible to ignore.
A rare second state visit
Trump’s trip marked a diplomatic first. No U.S. president before him had been granted two state visits — an honor usually reserved for monarchs and heads of state with particularly close ties to Britain. His presence in Windsor was accompanied by the full grandeur of British tradition: a carriage procession down the Long Walk, a military guard of honor, and a banquet with members of the royal family.
For Trump, who has often emphasized his admiration for Britain’s monarchy, the spectacle played into his carefully cultivated image of strength and status. Supporters outside Windsor Castle waved American flags and wore “MAGA” caps, chanting slogans of solidarity. “Trump was right about everything,” read one sign.
“He’s doing a fabulous job,” said Steven DeFranco, a 64-year-old former New York police officer who made a detour during a business trip to witness the moment. “To me, he’s a beaming light — someone who stands for strength and common sense in a world gone mad.”
London’s rejection
But the mood in London told another story. The “Trump Not Welcome” protest, organized by the Stop Trump Coalition and supported by Amnesty International, women’s rights groups, climate campaigners, trade unions, and pro-Palestinian activists, brought an estimated 5,000 people into the streets.
The now-iconic “Trump Baby Blimp” — a giant inflatable caricature depicting Trump as an angry orange infant clutching a smartphone — floated once again over Parliament Square, drawing laughter and cheers from the crowds. Placards ranged from witty to scathing: “Not Wanted Here, Not Wanted Anywhere” and “Trump: A Big Step Back in the Evolution of Man.”
“I quite simply dislike everything that Trump and his administration represent around the globe. They are absolutely awful,” said Bryan Murray, a retired teacher who marched with his wife, holding a sign reading “Dump Trump.”
London’s Metropolitan Police deployed more than 1,600 officers to ensure order. Despite four arrests related to a projection stunt at Windsor Castle the previous evening — images of Trump with Jeffrey Epstein lit up the castle walls — the protest was largely peaceful.
A divided Britain
The protests reflected broader public sentiment. A YouGov poll conducted ahead of the visit showed that 45 percent of Britons opposed inviting Trump, while just 30 percent supported the decision.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer, however, defended hosting the U.S. president, insisting that “the transatlantic relationship remains the cornerstone of Britain’s security and prosperity.” Starmer has struck up a surprisingly cordial rapport with Trump, even as many within his own Labour Party remain deeply critical of the American leader.
The dynamic recalled earlier controversies: in 2019, Trump’s first state visit drew tens of thousands to London’s streets, though the numbers were far smaller than during his 2018 official working visit, when crowds estimated at 250,000 filled Trafalgar Square and beyond.
Trump and the monarchy
Trump’s relationship with the British monarchy has been one of mutual fascination. His 2018 encounter with Queen Elizabeth II, when he controversially walked ahead of her during an inspection of the Guard of Honour, sparked criticism but also cemented his image as a president who reveled in royal pomp.
By contrast, this visit was marked by a more polished performance. Trump was greeted at Windsor with military precision, shook hands with senior royals, and made a point of praising Britain’s historic alliance with the U.S. “The bond between our two nations is unbreakable,” he declared at a Windsor banquet.
Comparisons have been drawn with earlier U.S. presidents. Barack Obama’s 2011 state visit was celebrated for his popularity and his speech to Parliament. George W. Bush’s 2003 visit, during the Iraq War, drew vast protests reminiscent of Wednesday’s scenes. Trump, it seems, has joined the lineage of American presidents whose presence has galvanized Britain’s streets as much as its state halls.
A battle of images
In the end, Trump’s second state visit to Britain was as much about imagery as diplomacy. In Windsor, he was portrayed as a powerful statesman, embraced by one of the world’s oldest monarchies. In London, he was depicted as a divisive figure, rejected by swathes of the public and turned into a symbol of everything his critics oppose.
For his supporters, the sight of Trump riding in a royal carriage down Windsor’s Long Walk represented validation of his global stature. For his detractors, the giant blimp floating over Westminster captured their enduring resistance.
As one protester summed it up: “Windsor may roll out the red carpet, but London speaks for the people.”
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