Trump, Starmer Announce $205 Billion US Investment Package for Britain

U.S. President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer unveiled a sweeping investment package worth £150 billion ($205 billion), signaling a renewal of the “special relationship” between Washington and London despite thorny political and diplomatic challenges.

The announcement came during Trump’s second official visit to the United Kingdom, marked by ceremonial pageantry, including a royal carriage ride with King Charles III and a state banquet at Buckingham Palace. Against that backdrop, both leaders sought to shift the spotlight from Trump’s domestic controversies to shared economic and geopolitical priorities.

The investment deal spans technology, energy, and life sciences, with American tech giants Microsoft, Nvidia, Google, and OpenAI pledging a combined £31 billion ($42 billion) for projects in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and civilian nuclear energy. British officials, however, played down expectations of progress on contentious U.S. steel and aluminum tariffs, underscoring the limits of the talks.

The summit was not without complications. Starmer faces domestic turbulence after dismissing Peter Mandelson as Britain’s ambassador to Washington over ties to the late financier Jeffrey Epstein—a controversy that could resurface in the leaders’ joint press conference. Trump’s own past association with Epstein has drawn fresh media scrutiny.

Beyond investment, Starmer is pressing for a tougher American stance on Russia amid the war in Ukraine. While Trump recently described Moscow as the “aggressor,” he tied the prospect of harsher sanctions to a full European embargo on Russian oil imports.

The Middle East looms as another friction point. Starmer is expected to raise concerns over Israel’s offensive in Gaza, even as Trump continues to back Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, albeit with criticism of strikes on Hamas figures in Qatar.

Analysts say these two flashpoints, Ukraine and Gaza, could expose fault lines between the leaders despite efforts to spotlight economic cooperation.

For Trump, nine months into an unprecedented second term, the visit serves as a stage to reaffirm his global stature while navigating political challenges at home. For Starmer, securing U.S. investments and a strong display of transatlantic unity offers a chance to bolster his domestic standing, amid mounting criticism of his economic and social agenda.