Trump and Starmer: What Now?

History shows that UK Prime Ministers and US Presidents can get on. The US and UK's relationship hasn't always been rosy. Look at the War of Independence or the 1812 War. However, when WWII broke out Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill got on tremendously. Despite one being a Conservative and the other being a Democrat. Thatcher and Reagan famously got on. Blair and Bush got on. Obama and Cameron got on. That's why the UK and US alliance is called the 'Special Relationship'. Of course, there have been times when that friendliness has been tested. Harold Wilson in the 60s declined to join the US in Vietnam. Reagan was not on board with Thatcher over The Falklands at first. Eventually, he gave her his blessing and aided the UK in the background. Not with US troops serving alongside their UK counterparts but with intelligence.

Labour MPs serving in Starmer's cabinet have insulted Trump in the past. Foreign Secretary David Lammy called Trump a KKK supporter and a neo-nazi supporter. Health Minister Wes Streeting called Trump an "Odious, sad, little man". Ed Milliband said Trump was a "racist, misogynistic, self-confessed groper". Of course, all these ministers will say "That was then this is now".

During the Trump campaign, Elon Musk has continually insulted and disagreed with Starmer. He even threatened to remove Starmer from power at one point. A Trump campaign chief called British Ambassador Peter Mandelson an "absolute moron". Mandelson is Sir Keir's pick to be ambassador to the Trump administration. So let's see how that one works out.

As if you didn't know it's Trump's swearing-in ceremony today. Trump will place His hand on the Bible and swear by Almighty God, to uphold the American constitution. The ceremony full of pomp and circumstance will be held indoors for the first time. They say because it is cold in Washington this time of the year. Cynics say it's because the crowd will not be huge and thus embarrassing for Trump. Make of those different ideas what you will. Trump has haters and lovers so it's only natural for both to make comments, I will leave it there.

Many have pointed out the fact that Sir Keir has been snubbed. However, no British Prime Minister has ever attended an American leader's inauguration. So there are people just trying to stoke trouble reporting historical inaccuracies. One British political figure will be there and that is Nigel Farage. Farage one day, hopes to be British Prime Minister, in 2029. He wants to emulate Trump's rise to the top job with his Reform UK party. Trump and Farage have been close friends. However, Elon Musk (yes him again) has taken swipes at Farage saying he is not fit to be the leader of Reform UK. So with Farage and Musk both attending the inauguration will they talk or ignore each other?

Sir Keir Starmer is facing something that not many British Prime Ministers have faced. First of all, how will the past comments made by Labour ministers serving in Starmer's cabinet affect the (so-called) special relationship? Then there is the spat between Starmer and Musk on X. The disparaging remarks about Mandelson by a Trump campaigner. Then there are real policy differences between Trump and Starmer. On Israel-Palestine, defence spending, on climate change, and the Ukraine-Russia War. Starmer and Trump have met previously in the US. Starmer said their meeting over a meal went well. David Lammy said he had much in common with Trump's Vice President JD Vance. Sighting the fact they are both Christians and come from working-class stock.

So as we move forward into 2025 it will be interesting to see how the Starmer-Trump relationship develops.