The Latest: Trump and Starmer sign US-UK tech deal during president's state visit

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AYLESBURY, England (AP) — After a day filled with royal pomp and pageantry, President Donald Trump met with Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday, the final day of the U.S. leader’s state visit to Britain.

The two leaders inked a major deal on tech investment that officials say will bring thousands of jobs and billions in investment in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and nuclear energy.

They are also expected to discuss steel tariffs and potentially tricky topics including the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

On Wednesday, the president and first lady Melania Trump were feted by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle with gold-trimmed carriages, scarlet-clad soldiers, artillery salutes and a lavish banquet in a grand hall.

No U.S. president, or any other world leader, has ever had the honor of a second U.K. state visit.

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The prime minister lashed out at Putin as Russia has stepped up its assault on Ukraine in recent weeks.

“These are not the actions of someone who wants peace,” Starmer said.

Trump after hosting talks with Putin in Alaska and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy and European leaders at the White House last month confidently announced that he was arranging for one-on-one talks between the two leaders aimed at ending the war.

But Putin, thus far, has shown no interest in holding peace talks.

Starmer opened by saying, “We’ve renewed the special relationship for a new era” during Trump’s visit.

“We’re taking the next logical step with a historic agreement in science and technology partnerships,” Trump said at the signing ceremony with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Among the local winners was Nscale, a little-known London-based data center startup that was at the center of several of the announcements. Chipmaker Nvidia said it’s investing 500 milllion pounds ($680 million) in the company and, with ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, is working with Nscale to develop the U.K. branch of Stargate, the Trump-backed AI infrastructure project.

Microsoft said separately that it’s investing $30 billion in the U.K. through 2028, with half of that for building out cloud computing and artificial intelligence infrastructure. That includes a project with Nscale to build the nation’s largest supercomputer, running on more than 23,000 advanced graphics processor chips.

At a moment of growing international alarm about the humanitarian situation in Gaza, more U.S. adults view Israel’s military action in the Palestinian territory as excessive than at the beginning of the war, according to the new poll.

About half of Americans say the military response from Israel in the Gaza Strip has “gone too far,” according to the survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research. That’s up from November 2023, when 40% said Israel’s military action had gone too far. That AP-NORC poll was conducted shortly after Hamas started the conflict by launching an Oct. 7, 2023, assault on Israel in which militants killed about 1,200 people and took 251 hostages.

But at the same time, Americans overall, particularly Republicans, are less likely to say negotiating a ceasefire should be a high priority for the U.S. government than they were just a few months ago when the U.S. was holding ceasefire talks with Hamas.

House Democratic leaders are calling for the resignation of Federal Communications Commission Chair Brendan Carr and accusing him of “bullying” ABC into suspending the late-night host.

In a joint statement, the leaders — including House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries — said the move was part of Trump and Republicans’ effort to wage a “war on the First Amendment.”

“The censoring of artists and cancellation of shows is an act of cowardice,” the statement read.

They also vowed to investigate the suspension, even if it requires the “unleashing of congressional subpoena power.”

The British prime minister underscored he and Trump are “leaders who respect each other and leaders who genuinely like each other.”

As Starmer wrapped his remarks to reporters, he underscored the friendship once again, saying “it is my pleasure” to give “the floor to my friend, our friend, President Trump.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer is touting the special relationship between the United Kingdom and the U.S. at the start of a business roundtable attended by tech bosses including Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang.

Starmer said the ties come down to leaders who respect each other and genuinely like each other, leaning over and patting Trump on the shoulder as he addressed reporters.

Starmer added that the deals and investments that they are announcing break all records. He called it “the biggest investment package of its kind in British history by a country mile.”

Trump echoed his comments, saying the U.K. and U.S. have an “unbreakable bond.”

The president said the countries’ “historic agreement on science and technology partnerships will create new government, academic work and private sector cooperation in areas such as AI, which is taking over the world.”

The first lady set off on her own itinerary Thursday to view Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House and a display of miniature books at the Royal Library.

Accompanied by Queen Camilla, Melania Trump looked at teeny volumes including “Winnie the Pooh” and Arthur Conan Doyle’s “How Watson Learned the Trick.”

“That’s incredible,” the first lady said while she admired the work on the miniature books. “That’s beautiful.”

The two also met with a half-dozen children at the library who were writing and drawing pictures.

“This is beautiful,” Melania Trump remarked to one child, who was drawing an animal. “Is that a fox?”

The U.S. president’s helicopter has touched down on the lawn of the prime minister’s estate, in the countryside northwest of London.

Trump then got into his motorcade for a short ride to the house. He waved at reporters waiting outside as he drove by.

The leaders will discussion trade and geopolitical issues in bilateral talks, and a news conference is planned for later Thursday.

King Charles and Queen Camilla have goodbye to the president, who is heading to Chequers, the prime minister’s country estate.

After saying a private goodbye to the king and queen inside Windsor Castle, Trump walked outside with Charles.

They spoke for a few minutes and Trump touched Charles lightly on the arm. They shook hands, and Trump clasped his other hand on top of the king’s.

Trump then turned to reporters and called Charles, “a great gentleman, and a great king.”

They shook hands again, and Trump walked to his presidential limousine, climbed in and was driven away.

The Trumps are formally bidding their farewells at Windsor Castle, but the first lady will get a chance to spend a little more time with Queen Camilla.

The two plan to tour Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House, built a century ago for a consort of King George V. The Windsor Castle attraction is described as the largest and most famous dolls’ house in the world.

After their visit to the doll house, they are expected to head to the Royal Library to meet with local school children.

Following the Royal Library visit, Trump will be joined by Kate, the princess of Wales, for a tour of Frogmore Gardens where they will meet with a group of 4-to 6-year-old Squirrel Scouts.

No state visit is complete without gifts.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s offerings to U.S. President Donald Trump and his wife include a taste of the English countryside and a touch of silk diplomacy.

Starmer will be giving the Trumps a picnic basket with homemade jams made from strawberries and raspberries grown on the grounds of his country retreat and shortbread created by the estate’s chef.

The first lady will be given a colorful silk scarf based on art created by Ukrainian children as a tribute to her effort to draw attention to their plight.

Melania Trump wrote a letter her husband hand delivered to Russian President Vladimir Putin during their meeting in Alaska last month, urging him to consider the children as the leaders discussed a peace plan with Ukraine.

Starmer has led European efforts to end the conflict and has tried to cajole Trump into being a stronger supporter of Ukraine.

The prime minister is giving Trump a custom-made red box that is typically given to government ministers and filled with official papers. The box with the presidential seal and title on it symbolizes the special relationship between the two countries.

The final day of U.S. President Donald Trump’s state visit to the U.K. turns from pomp and pageantry to politics and policy as he meets British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

Trump and first lady Melania are due to bid farewell to King Charles III at Windsor Castle and then fly by helicopter to Chequers, the prime minister’s country retreat where the agenda will include a heavy dose of tech investment talk.

The leaders are expected to sign a “tech prosperity deal” bringing jobs and investment in AI and nuclear energy. Starmer faces potentially awkward discussions on Ukraine and the Middle East, amid domestic political challenges.

Beefeaters in traditional red uniforms and ruff collars lined the entrance to St. George’s Hall at Windsor Castle on Wednesday night as Britain brought out its royal finery for the state banquet honoring U.S. President Donald Trump.

Inside, the grand Waterloo table was set with 1,462 pieces of silver that sparkles in the light from 139 candles. Seasonal flower arrangements, handpicked from the castle grounds only hours before, made the hall smell like an autumnal garden.

About 100 staff members are on hand to serve 160 guests, who include tech leaders, athletes and Britain’s top political leaders.

Each place has several glasses so the guests can sample a variety of wines. The wine list includes Wiston Estate Cuvee 2016, Ridge Vineyards Monte Bello 2000, Pol Roger Extra Cuvee de Reserve 1998, and Domaine Bonneau de Martray Corton-Charlemagne grand cru 2018.