Trump Scotland visit: Starmer to push for zero steel tariffs
President Trump kicks off his golfing holiday in Scotland this evening, and all eyes are on his diary as the trip looks set to become a hub for diplomacy.
Sir Keir Starmer will meet the US President on Monday, with the express mission of pressing for reduced tariffs on British steel.
The two leaders are set to have lunch and a bilateral meeting, though Starmer is thought to have little experience of, or interest in, golf.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt described the trip as a “working visit that will include a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Starmer to refine the historic US-UK trade deal”.
So far, the government has managed to secure carveouts for the automotive and aerospace sectors, but the steel industry remains particularly exposed.
Though the 25 per cent levy on British steel is half the global rate of 50 per cent, ministers hope that the tariff can be wiped out altogether.
The PM will also be hoping that he can exploit Trump’s current frustrations with Putin’s stymying of the peace process in Ukraine to secure more military support for President Zelensky.
Is this really a holiday?
For a trip touted broadly as a golfing holiday for Trump, the visit to Scotland is a lightning rod for diplomacy.
Scottish first minister John Swinney is also expected to meet with Trump. He said that he hopes to raise issues around the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
Swinney said: “This provides Scotland with a platform to make its voice heard on the issues that matter, including war and peace, justice and democracy.”
“This weekend is a landmark moment in our relationship with the United States, and I am certain it will be remembered for Scotland showing the world the very best of itself.”
It is not clear whether Trump will be meeting opposition politicians, such as Reform UK leader Nigel Farage – who has been a close ally of the President, and was once touted as a possible British Ambassador to the US.
Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance is set to visit the Cotswolds with his family for their summer holiday.