President Donald Trump is due to visit the UK for a rare second state visit this year, however concerns over the security of the US President have reportedly been raised. Buckingham Palace and Downing Street are reportedly locked in talks to prepare ahead of the trip, believed to have been pencilled in for mid-September.
But one source has claimed the White House may have some expectations that can’t be met, including replicating the state coach trip undertaken by Chinese President Xi Jinping during his own state visit. One source told The Times: “He can’t go to Buckingham Palace because it is being renovated. And he can’t have a state coach for security reasons.”
Officials reportedly believe the threat of an assassination is huge when it comes to Mr Trump, with no coach sufficiently armoured to allow him to use it.
Another source said: “There is a challenge in trying to understand what they want and in tempering expectations of what can be delivered.”
Friends close to the president, who live in the UK, believe it might be better if Mr Trump’s visit was confined to Balmoral, which would “solve the security concerns”.
Mr Trump’s golf course in Turnberry is around 90 minutes from the Scottish royal estate.
President Trump received the invitation from the King during a meeting with Sir Keir Starmer at the White House in February, with the Prime Minister presenting an invitation letter signed by Charles III.
However, to be invited for a second state visit is rare for a second-term US president, who are typically invited for just a tea or lunch with the monarch at Windsor Castle.
Mr Trump’s first three-day state visit in 2019 took place during his first term in office, which was hosted by the late Queen Elizabeth II.