Key Points from Trump and Starmer's Press Conference: Foreign Policy, Free Speech, and Epstein

Share this @internewscast.com

U.S. President Donald Trump and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer celebrated the revival of the “special relationship” between their countries, wrapping up Trump’s rare second state visit with a strong display of unity while steering clear of potential challenges.

In a cordial press conference where both leaders downplayed differences on issues like Gaza and wind energy, Trump remarked that Russian President Vladimir Putin had “disappointed him” and expressed concern about nations continuing to purchase Russian oil, emphasizing that only low oil prices would impact Russia.

Concluding his two-day visit to Britain—which he termed an “exquisite honor”—Trump seemed at ease during the final press event, while Starmer remained focused on steering clear of contentious topics.

Both leaders skillfully avoided awkward topics, fending off inquiries regarding the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his connections to Trump and Starmer’s former U.S. ambassador.

‘Special relationship’ renewed

“We’ve renewed the special relationship for a new era,” Starmer told reporters.

“This partnership today is a signal of our determination to win this race together and to ensure it brings real benefits in jobs, in growth, in lower bills, to put more hard-earned cash in people’s pockets at the end of each month,” Starmer said.

Trump also paid homage to the close ties between the two countries, saying Starmer was a tough negotiator in securing the first tariff deal with the US, although Britain has still not secured the lower US tariffs on steel that it was seeking.

“We’re forever joined, and we are forever friends and we will always be friends,” Trump said.

Earlier, during the opening of a business reception, prominent figures in U.S. and U.K. business were introduced by the leaders to highlight a significant £150 billion ($307 billion) investment package from the U.S. into Britain, courtesy of corporations like Microsoft and Blackstone, as part of a broader initiative claimed to benefit both countries.

‘Priceless ties’

Starmer said the deals would “light up the special relationship for years to come”. Trump was equally effusive.

“The ties between our countries are priceless,” he said.

Aerial view of two large rows of people seated on either side of a large banquet table.

The first day of Donald Trump’s state visit to the UK concluded with a banquet at Windsor Castle. Source: AAP / Phil Noble

“We’ve done some things that financially are great for both countries … I think it’s an unbreakable bond we have, regardless of what we’re doing today. I think it’s unbreakable,” Trump said.

Starmer has been promoting Britain as an appealing target for U.S. investment, aligning with the country’s financial services, technology, and energy industries, to draw in U.S. funds and support infrastructure expansion for economic advancement.

Jimmy Kimmel and free speech

“Jimmy Kimmel was fired because he had bad ratings more than anything else and he said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk,” Trump said during the press conference.

“Jimmy Kimmel is not a talented person. He had very poor ratings, and he should have been dismissed a long time ago. So, whether you call that free speech or not, he was let go due to lacking talent.”

Starmer sidestepped a potential conflict over the different interpretations of free speech in the U.K. and U.S., following Trump’s remarks that the U.K. had “established the foundations of law, liberty, free speech, and individual rights” during its empire, and stressed that it “must continue to champion the values…of the English-speaking world.”

Disagreements on foreign policy

It was on foreign affairs where the two were most out of lockstep.

Starmer and other European leaders have been pressing Trump to put more pressure on Putin to end the war in Ukraine.

Trump, while criticising Putin, failed to mention any further sanctions against Russia.

The US leader again expressed frustration that European nations were still buying Russian oil, but said Starmer was not part of their number.

Protesters holding placards denouncing Donald Trump's visit during a march.

Demonstrators took to the streets in London to express opposition to Donald Trump’s presence and policies during his state visit to the U.K. Source: Getty / Guy Smallman

Trump also repeated his position that he disagreed with countries recognising Palestinian statehood — something Starmer has said Britain will do if Israel fails to relieve suffering in Gaza and reach a ceasefire in its war with Hamas.

“I have a disagreement with the prime minister on that score, one of our few disagreements, actually,” Trump said.

Leaders sidestep questions on Epstein

But the two leaders sidestepped questions on Epstein, after both were asked about Starmer’s decisions to sack Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the US last week after his close ties with the late financier were revealed.

Trump’s relationship with Epstein has also come under scrutiny.

“I don’t know him, actually,” Trump said in response to a question about Mandelson. “I think the prime minister would be better speaking over that; it was a choice that he made.”

Starmer repeated his position: “Some information came to light last week which wasn’t available when he was appointed and I made a decision about it, and that’s very clear.”

When the final question was answered, a clearly relieved Starmer ushered Trump out of the Great Hall at Chequers — the country residence of UK Prime Ministers — before Trump left to return to Washington.