Politics Weekly UK Trump on tour: pomp, pageantry and politics
Sep 17, 2025
Jonathan Freedland, a keen observer of US politics and host of Politics Weekly America, joins to dissect Donald Trump's second state visit to the UK. They delve into the lavish pageantry surrounding the trip and discuss potential political repercussions for Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Freedland highlights the risks associated with media scrutiny and the implications of rising populism. The conversation sheds light on critical issues like tech agreements and the challenges facing Labour amid Trump's high-profile visit.
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Pageantry As Political Strategy
- The UK used Windsor's pageantry to control access and maximise spectacle for Trump's ego.
- The ceremony serves domestic optics as much as diplomatic business for Keir Starmer's government.
Tech Deals Have Hidden Costs
- The announced tech investments look hefty but create trade-offs around energy use and creative industries' rights.
- Freedland warns the deals risk alienating cultural figures and raising ecological concerns about data centres.
Unclear Concessions Behind Investments
- Downing Street framed the tech deals as organic investment without clear concessions, raising transparency worries.
- Freedland and Kieran suggest future budgets may reveal what trade-offs the UK made for investment.
