Donald Trump has been soaking up the pageantry and grandeur today at Windsor Castle – but he will be dining tonight with a foe he once regarded as a “very close friend”.
The US president will encounter 94 year old media mogul Rupert Murdoch at a sumptuous banquet, with Trump seething over claims made in his Wall Street Journal that he dispatched a over-friendly letter to Jeffrey Epstein for his 50th birthday in 2003.
Trump refuted he sent the letter – branding it a “fake” – and is also pursuing the paper for defamation. The news comes as BBC News viewers issue same complaint as Donald Trump arrives at Windsor Castle.
It certainly indicates tensions could be simmering at the dinner during Trump’s UK visit which has thus far proceeded seamlessly for the president, who has been successfully shielded from demonstrators.
Following his assertion that he would pursue legal action, Trump posted on his Truth Social platform: “I hope Rupert and his ‘friends’ are looking forward to the many hours of depositions and testimonies they will have to provide in this case.”, reports the Mirror.
Meanwhile he branded the Wall Street Journal as a “disgusting and filthy rag” as well as a “pile of garbage”.
Their relationship now is vastly different to how it commenced half a century ago when Murdoch purchased the New York Post and Trump, with his standing as a property magnate, would supply it with exclusives. In addition to this, Murdoch was also the proprietor of Fox News, which consistently broadcasted favourable news about Trump and his right-wing agenda.
Trump’s political triumphs boosted Fox News’ standing as one of the most influential media outlets in the US, with several Fox personalities even joining the Trump administration, notably Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
Murdoch and Trump “feed off one another – they’ve had this relationship since the ’70s where they kind of benefit from one another,” Andrew Dodd, a journalism professor at the University of Melbourne, informed the LA Times. “But they also have these turns where they’re against each other.”
Their rendezvous will now take place behind closed doors at the banquet table in St George’s Hall. Charles and Camilla were seen surveying the scene in footage shared on the official monarchy’s social media.
Pink, purple and yellow flowers adorned the extravagant floral displays on the 50-metre table. The monarch and Camilla greeted Household staff responsible for the meticulous planning and execution of the grand event.
The banquet concludes a royal-centric first day, including a visit to Queen Elizabeth II’s tomb in St George’s Chapel, lunch with the Royal Family, and a special Beating Retreat ceremony featuring a flypast from the Red Arrows.
Following the dinner, guests will be treated to Warre’s 1945 Vintage Port, in a nod to Trump’s tenure as the 45th and 47th President of the United States. They’ll also enjoy Hennessy 1912 Cognac Grande Champagne, marking the birth year of his mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, and Bowmore Queen’s Cask 1980, Islay, a gift to the late Queen Elizabeth in 1980, which was bottled for her Golden Jubilee in 2002.
A special cocktail named Transatlantic Whisky Sour has been concocted for the occasion. This UK/US twist on the classic Whisky Sour blends the smoky depth of Johnnie Walker Black with the bright citrus of marmalade.
It’s topped off with a pecan foam and garnished with a toasted marshmallow set on a star-shaped biscuit, reminiscent of a cosy fireside S’more.
The guest list for the banquet includes the King and Queen, Donald and Melania Trump, the Prince and Princess of Wales. Other notable attendees include Rupert Murdoch, Elena Murdoch, Morgan Sweeney, Scott Bessent, Keir Starmer, Marco and Jeanette Rubio, and Sir Stephen Schwarzman.