BBC Expert Reveals What Impact Trump's Team Think State Visit Will Really Have On President

Donald Trump’s top team do not believe the president’s 48-hour state visit to the UK will actually have any impact on White House policies, according to a BBC expert.

The US president’s whirlwind trip to the UK was a highly-anticipated affair and saw the Royal Family pull out all the stops to impress Trump and keep him on side.

It seemed to pay off, as Keir Starmer secured a bumper tech deal with the US and suffered through a joint press conference with very few blips (considering Trump has a habit of going off-piste).

The president even surprised reporters by admitting that Russian president Vladimir Putin had “let him down” by refusing to compromise in ending the Ukraine war.

That suggests he has moved closer to the united western view that Russia is the aggressor in the war, and raised hopes that he might actually impose more economic sanctions on Moscow to cripple its war machine.

Downing Street was also looking to get the US tariffs on aluminium and steel down to zero for the UK.

But the topic was carefully avoided during Thursday’s media appearance.

And, according to Trump’s top team, any hopes this no-expense-spared state visit might guarantee the president’s support in the long run might be misplaced.

The BBC’s North America editor Sarah Smith explained that she asked Trump’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles, if this Britain would be able to influence US policy on trade, tariffs and international affairs now.

Smith wrote: “Her response was frank – none at all.”

The journalist added: “However much Trump enjoyed this state visit, he is not going to alter his positions on important global matters because of a memorable night spent at Windsor Castle.”

Still, the expert pointed out that “Starmer appears to have at least earned the right to respectfully disagree with Trump without paying a diplomatic penalty” and a “falling out now feels further away than ever before”.