The Donald arrives for four-day red carpet visit: Trump and Melania set foot on UK soil for first time as President and First Lady – but he brushes aside protest fears by claiming Britons ‘like him a lot’
US president has landed at Stansted Airport with First Lady Melania at around 1pm as he starts four-day trip
10,000 police officers have been drafted in to protect him from protests – biggest number since 2011 riots
Mr Trump accompanied by 1,000 of own staff plus planes, helicopters and cars including bomb-proof ‘Beast’
Not official state visit but red carpet is being rolled out as he meets the Queen at Windsor and PM at Chequers
Thousands expected to protest against him as he tours UK and giant ‘Trump baby balloon’ will fly over London
But he said in response: ‘I think it’s fine. A lot of people like me there. They agree with me on immigration’
By MARTIN ROBINSON
DAILYMAIL.COM
12 July 2018
Donald Trump has touched down in Britain for his first official visit and has already brushed off mass protests by saying: ‘I think they like me a lot in the UK’ and caused Theresa May a major new headache over Brexit.
The US President, 72, who will meet the Prime Minister and Queen during a four-day red carpet visit, landed at Stansted Airport on Air Force One at just before 2pm and walked off hand-in-hand with First Lady Melania.
America’s Commander-in-Chief has 1,000 of his own staff in the UK and a giant motorcade led by his bomb-proof Cadillac nicknamed ‘The Beast’ as well as multiple helicopters including Marine One to fly him around.
The President and his First Lady were met on the tarmac by US Ambassador Woody Johnson and UK Trade Secretary Liam Fox before he was whisked off to Mr Johnson’s house near Regent’s Park.
Tonight he will attend a gala dinner with US and UK business leaders at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire – the ancestral seat of Sir Winston Churchill.
Earlier today Mr Trump gave an extraordinary press conference in Brussels after giving NATO leaders a bruising over defence cash, where he wrote off protesters and said Theresa May’s Brexit deal probably wasn’t what Britons voted for.
When asked about the threat of mass demonstrations he said: ‘I think it’s fine. A lot of people like me there. I think they agree with me on immigration. I think that’s why Brexit happened’.
Protesters have pledged to follow him wherever he goes in Britain and 10,000 police officers have been drafted in to protect him – the largest number deployed since the 2011 riots.
Almost 2million signed a petition demanding he was banned from the UK because they believe he is sexist and racist and ‘Stop Trump’ campaigners say he will face a ‘Wall of Sound’ outside all the landmarks he visits because supporters will bang pots and pans.
Despite not being an official state visit the Government is desperate to ensure the US leader feels he is being treated with the appropriate level of pomp and ceremony.
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