Buckingham Palace confirmed that U.S. President Donald Trump has accepted an invitation from King Charles III for a state visit to the United Kingdom from September 17 to 19, which will be hosted at Windsor Castle due to ongoing renovations at Buckingham Palace.
The visit marks Trump’s second official state visit, a rare gesture under British royal protocol, traditionally extended only once to a head of state. His first visit was in 2019, hosted by the late Queen Elizabeth II during his first term in office.
The invitation was personally delivered by UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer during his February visit to Washington. Trump later described it as a “great honor.” However, the president will not address the House of Commons during his visit, as Parliament will be in recess, according to news reports.
In a tense White House press briefing following talks with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Trump issued a stern warning to Russia, threatening “very stiff 100% tariffs” on its trading partners if no resolution is reached on the Ukraine conflict within 50 days.
“I’m very disappointed with President Putin,” Trump said. “We were close to a deal two months ago, but now it seems he’s not ready.” Still, he held out hope for diplomacy: “There’s still a chance. A deal will happen at some point.”
Trump confirmed that Patriot missile systems will be delivered to Kyiv within days, coordinated with NATO, and noted that Ukraine would pay for the U.S. weapon systems.
Rutte added that massive weapons support is expected under a joint NATO-U.S. agreement.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with U.S. envoy Keith Kellogg in Kyiv to discuss peace efforts, enhanced air defenses, and European cooperation in arms production.
On the domestic front, a new report by the U.S. Senate Homeland Security Committee criticized the Secret Service for “unforgivable failures” during the assassination attempt on President Trump at a campaign rally on July 13, 2024.
Committee Chair Senator Rand Paul stated, “The Secret Service ignored credible intelligence and failed to coordinate with local law enforcement.” The report described the agency’s response as marked by “bureaucratic indifference and a shocking refusal to act.”
Despite the findings, no officials have been dismissed. Paul emphasized the need for accountability and urgent reforms.
Trump, marking the anniversary, acknowledged that “mistakes were made,” but said he remains grateful: “God was watching over me.”
Separately, the U.S. military has launched joint training exercises with Panamanian forces to bolster the security of the Panama Canal. Blackhawk and Chinook helicopters arrived at Panama-Pacific Airport — once the U.S. Army’s Howard Air Base — to begin the operation.
Michael Palacios, assistant commissioner of Panama’s National Naval Air Service, said the drills, now in their 23rd year, focus on defending the canal against emerging threats. The operations, conducted under a bilateral agreement, will conclude Friday and will respect Panama’s national sovereignty.
