This article was originally published by G. Calder at The Exposé.
President Trump visited the UK this week, during which he urged Britain to use every tool available to secure the Channel. Claiming he saw “millions of people” flow into the US before his term, he told reporters that mass, unchecked migration “destroys countries from within” and advised Starmer, “I would stop it, and it doesn’t matter if you call out the military, it doesn’t matter what means you use.”
Meanwhile, the Home Office has confirmed two removals to France under Britain’s new “one in, one out” pact. Supporters call it a long-overdue reset that will put an end to the small boats crisis, while critics label it as nothing more than symbolic. Thousands more are queuing in Calais, ready to make the journey, while the UK returns one at a time by air. Will it be enough?
Trump’s Military Message
At Chequers, Trump spoke positively of his relationship with Starmer, but said the UK should be willing to “call out the military” to stop illegal crossings. We’ve seen this approach in action in the US, not only to tackle migration issues, but to settle violent crime problems in major cities too. The President framed it as a simple matter of deterrence, advising any means necessary to stop smugglers exploiting the route.
However, UK ministers were defensive of Trump’s remarks. Business Secretary Peter Kyle said Border Force and existing naval support are sufficient and the military should focus on wider defence tasks. As one of the key motives for the recent millions-strong march in London, it’s clear that the public do not believe current measures are “sufficient” at all.
First People Returned to France
The Home Office confirmed that a man who arrived by small boat in August had now been returned to France. Within a day of the announcement, a second removal – an Eritrean national whose High Court challenge was rejected on credibility grounds – has been confirmed. Another Eritrean case is paused after a judge granted a temporary injunction, and the government says more returns will follow with legal gamesmanship being contested at speed.
The scheme plans to send one person back to France, accepting one in return if they have verified ties to the UK. Supposed to kill the idea that illegal entry is rewarding, the plan is also to open a safe and controlled channel for those with a lawful claim. One or two flights vs the thousands making the crossings – is the UK reaching a turning point, or is it just a drop in the ocean?
Beyond the Border: Russia, Israel, Tech Deal
A bunch of US-UK deals worth a staggering $350 billion were pitched as the leaders spoke of an “unbreakable” bond. Describing the Technology Prosperity Deal as “one of a kind”, Trump said it ensures the two countries will “lead the next technological revolution side by side”, including key sectors like quantum computing and nuclear power as a joint focus.
There was an emphasis on Ukraine and the Middle East, and Trump spoke of “a disagreement with the prime minister” on the latter. Starmer called for recognition of a Palestinian state – which Trump did not agree with – and the president instead focused on the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
On the Russia-Ukraine topic, Starmer said Putin’s recent attacks on Ukraine “are not the actions of someone who wants peace”, and Trump seemed to agree, adding that Putin has “let me down”. It remains unclear how the President intends to break the deadlock in the conflict, just a month after he publicly predicted a deal was within reach. Starmer said there needs to be more international pressure on Putin, which Trump said he will only do if European countries reduce their reliance on Russian oil. Referring to Hungary and Slovakia increasing their purchase of Russian oil since Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, he said, “I’m willing to do other things, but not when the people that I’m fighting for are buying oil from Russia… if the oil price comes down, very simply, Russia will settle.”
Response on the Streets
In London, thousands marched against Trump’s visit with banners on Gaza, women’s rights, and immigration. Another stunt saw a Trump-Epstein image projected onto Windsor Castle, leading to four arrests “for embarrassing Donald Trump”, which is “a ridiculous overreaction” according to political campaign group Led By Donkeys. The White House ignored the provocation; the visit went ahead as scheduled, and the men were later released on bail.
Final Thought
Washington would treat the Channel as a security issue and mobilise the military, while Starmer prefers flying them back one at a time. No clear plan emerged to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict; both leaders spoke of a major disagreement on Israel-Palestine, and a stark contrast in leadership was laid bare.
But, at the end of Trump’s historic state visit, both leaders and King Charles III hailed the special relationship between the two countries, and a prosperous tech deal worth hundreds of billions remained the overarching victory.
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