Welcome to Northern Slant’s rolling blog of this week’s visit to Europe of US President Donald Trump. The latest posts and links will appear at the top under each day’s headline, and you’ll be able to see entries for previous days by scrolling down. (Contributions by Julia Flanagan, Alina Utrata, Ruth Foster, Jamie Pow and Matthew O’Neill, as well as Steve McGookin)

Friday: What passes for normal service has been resumed

The President woke up at his golf resort in Doonbeg on the final day of his trip and kicked off his weekend by tweeting about the problems he faces at home, from GOP reaction to his proposed tariffs on Mexico to potential financial disclosure, to his “emergency” arms deal with the Saudis; all with the overarching possibility of impeachment hearings.  

His morning offense before heading out for a round of golf continued the thread from his controversial interview yesterday with Fox News‘s Laura Ingraham, which in turn only distracted from any positive response he may have received from his D-Day speech. Even CNN‘s Jim Acosta called it the “most on-message moment of his presidency.”

His trip seems to have gone so well there’s word from the Kremlin – since that seems to be where we get that sort of  word from these days – that he might want to tell President Putin all about it in a couple of weeks. So there’s that to look forward to.

The trip in a nutshell, apparently…

Meanwhile, just as with Brexit, the BBC‘s coverage of Trump’s visit has more than a few critics…

But as the president and his entourage prepare to head home, the fall-out from his performance during yesterday’s D-Day ceremonies looks set to resonate for a while yet…

And of course, France has many interesting places.

***

Thursday: Leaders mark solemn D-Day anniversary

Meanwhile in Doonbeg itself…

But was it all just one big distraction…?

***

Wednesday: “With humility and pleasure, I say to you all, thank you”

The Queen, Donald Trump and world leaders were at Portsmouth to honour D-Day veterans on the eve of the 75th anniversary of the Allied invasion.

Earlier…

Divine Madness

Good morning. It’s the middle of the night on the eve of the 75th anniversary of D-Day and the President of the United States is in a twitter spat with Bette Midler.

The day can only go up from here.

But I guess people weren’t talking about how he walked back his statement on the NHS being “on the table” in a post-Brexit trade deal, so there’s always an upside. Clearly someone told him that saying *anything* publicly about the NHS would spook the locals and maybe make them see Brexit in a different light.

Exit through the gift shop…

Ah, grand.. so that’s all fine then…

And that’s about enough for day three. The final word on the previous 24 hours again with Stephen Colbert and his writers… see you tomorrow in Doonbeg!

***

Tuesday: Trump bids farewell to May as Londoners protest

Pomp and pageantry yesterday, politics and protest today.

At a joint press conference this afternoon in  the Foreign Office courtyard, directly across the street from Number Ten Downing Street, President Trump called the special relationship the “greatest alliance the world has ever known.” He also paid tribute – well, sort of – to Prime Minister Theresa May, whose premiership ends on Friday.

The president called the protests against him happening round the corner in Trafalgar Square and outside Parliament “fake news” – “a small group of people put in for political reasons.”

While the “Trump Baby” blimp flew over Parliament Square for a time, until it was attacked and punctured by a woman who was subsequently arrested.

On Brexit, the President’s memory appeared clouded, even if he was clear about what should be “on the table” in a post-Brexit trade deal between the US and the UK (although likely having been tipped off about what that might mean for Brexit, Trump subsequently tried to walk back any reference to the NHS)

The President sat down to specifically discuss trade with the Prime Minister and UK and US business leaders this morning. After the Queen’s subtle remarks about international cooperation at last night’s banquet, Mrs May presented Trump with a framed copy of the Atlantic Charter – one of the wartime agreements between Churchill and FDR that became a building block for the UN.

The Economist‘s Robert Ward tweeted that May’s gift was “subtly thought out, but likely to be less well received than was Japan PM Abe’s gold-plated golf club.”

Mrs May was also reportedly set to challenge the President on his approach to climate change while the leaders were expected to discuss the implications for intelligence-sharing prompted by the situation surrounding Chinese tech company Huawei.  Despite not having a one-to-one meeting with the Prime Minister, Trump also seems determined to dig himself deeper into the Tory leadership contest, after apparently suggesting that Theresa May “stick around” to do a trade a deal…

Meanwhile, today was the main focus for protest against Trump’s visit, even if the appearance  at the London rally of Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn didn’t please everyone, even those in his own party.

Here’s BBC Newsnight‘s round-up of yesterday…

This morning’s Daily Mail front page wasn’t in any doubt about the impression it wanted readers to take away from the trip so far…

Jared and Ivanka were also in attendance with their “crew” and the evening likely offered a suitable distraction from Kushner’s “eyebrow-raising” interview with Jonathan Swan of Axios.

But yet… at least inside the Palace he’s getting the footage he needs for next year’s election campaign videos. For The Guardian‘s Jess Cartner-Morley, the “optics of the state visit are pure ballot-box gold dust.”

Writing about last night’s banquet, and what the visit means for Britain in the immediate future, The Guardian‘s Rafael Behr says: “There is so much about Trump that is appalling – racism, misogyny, corruption, constitutional vandalism – it is unsurprising that people protest on the streets. Less conspicuous, but more remarkable perhaps, was a dissenting note at the banqueting table, issued from the crown itself. The Queen’s words are chosen with precision and on this occasion, in a speech commemorating D-day, she emphasised the “assembly of international institutions” that rose from the ashes of war. She praised the “original purpose of these structures: nations working together to safeguard a hard-won peace”. To alert ears, that was a coded rebuke to a president who actively undermines those very structures, admires despots and belittles the leaders of America’s democratic allies. It is unlikely that Trump got the message, or cared if he did.”

And while TV “personality” Piers Morgan has never been above trying to boost his audience by one,   (update: seems to have worked) Stephen Colbert and other US late-night talk show hosts had a good time with day one of the tour. Lets see how they handle today…

***

Monday: Handshakes, insults and shared history

It was a day of subtle and not-so-subtle contrasts in London on the the first day of the Trump visit, which culminated with a state banquet at Buckingham Palace on Monday evening.

Ordinary Londoners, meanwhile, rolled out the unwelcome mat – or at least those few who bothered to show up – with Tuesday set to see organized protests all over the country (including at Belfast City Hall, 6.30pm). The Guardian reports that Theresa May “will insist the relationship between the US and the UK is “a great partnership, but one I believe we can make greater still” when she hosts the President at Downing Street.

and there’s always a local angle, for what it’s worth…

There was even some talk that the Queen was somehow sending a message in her choice of jewelry for the day…

here’s something to, er… look forward to:

“Welcome to Stansted. You may now use your phones…”

As soon as the President landed this morning, he clearly couldn’t wait to set the day’s agenda by having a go at the Mayor of the city where he’ll be staying. It will be an interesting few days, but then we already knew that…

The Mayor wasn’t the only target. The President wasn’t happy that he had to watch CNN because Fox News isn’t available, so decided to urge a boycott of the network’s parent company…

Meanwhile, the domestic politicking has begun…

This pub has a “fake oval office”…

***

Preview: Pomp and protest await the President

The President of the United States arrives in Britain on Monday for a state visit at a time of political uncertainty and amid the inevitable flurry of tabloid controversy.

Over the weekend, Donald Trump managed to get himself involved in a dispute over what he said, or says he didn’t say, about Meghan Markle.

Throwaway stuff, sure. But there is obviously a serious aspect to his interjections – even if he might not see it as such – since he all but endorsed Boris Johnson in the Conservative leadership race, saying “I think he is a very good guy, a very talented person” and that he would “do a very good job.”

Perhaps Trump hadn’t seen this…

But in political terms, Trump trod on more than a few toes by suggesting in a Sunday Times interview that Nigel Farage was the man to negotiate with the EU over Britain’s exit, calling him “an asset to your country” and saying that both Farage and Johnson were “big powers” in the UK.

Comments by Farage concerning a post-Brexit trade deal with the US – particularly raising fears about the potential vulnerability of the NHS – were subsequently echoed by US Ambassador to Britain Woody Johnson, leaving a general bad taste in a lot of mouths.

There’s also the delicate matter of Chinese tech company Huawei and the future of the intelligence-sharing relationship between the US and UK.

And that’s all just in the 24 hours before he arrives. But at least he might be able to use the trip to distract from the chaos he’s leaving at home, as Congress returns from the Memorial Day recess.

The itinerary for Trump’s week is roughly as follows:

Monday – Arrives at Stansted Airport at about 9am; ahead of a ceremonial greeting at Buckingham Palace by the Queen – the 12th US president she has welcomed of the 13 during her reign (Lyndon Johnson is the exception) – and a royal gun salute before a state banquet at Buckingham Palace with Prime Minister Theresa May. (Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, Commons Speaker John Bercow and Lib Dem leader Vince Cable all declined invitations).

There will be no ceremonial carriage ride – security concerns – or an address to Parliament. Rather than at Buckingham Palace, the Trumps will be staying at the residence of the US Ambassador near Regents Park.

Tuesday – A “business leaders” breakfast including daughter Ivanka (who’s already in town), before formal talks with Theresa May at Downing Street, followed by a joint press conference.

There are expected to be significant demonstrations around the country (Belfast City Hall at 6.30pm) organized by the Stop Trump Coalition and other groups, with the protest in London set to feature the inflatable ‘Trump Baby’ blimp and, er, a robotic Trump on a toilet. From China, of course.

Wednesday and Thursday – Ceremonies in both England and France to mark the 75th anniversary of D-Day along with other European leaders, as well as a meeting with Taoiseach Leo Varadkar at Shannon Airport, Trump’s first presidential visit to Ireland.

Trump’s last visit to France, in November for the Armistice centenary, went anything but smoothly, prompting some concern for the required gravity surrounding the D-Day activities.

It might well be worth the President’s time to study the leadership of one of his predecessors, Gen Dwight D Eisenhower, then the Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe:

Thursday and Friday – Trump is expected to stay at the golf resort he owns at Doonbeg in County Clare before returning to the US on Friday. According to the Irish Times, the President “will make the journey between [Shannon] airport and his golf resort four times” while he is in Ireland.

Trump is bringing his extended family along – something Hadley Freeman in The Guardian likens to a road-trip episode of the sitcom Arrested Development, saying the “rule about UK episodes of US sitcoms: they must make both nationalities look equally appalling.”

Meanwhile, the same paper’s Julian Borger writes that Britain’s Royal Family will serve as little more than “extras” in Trump’s tour: “The rich pageantry that the British monarchy supplies will not only distract from the lingering clouds of suspicion, but send a bright red, white and blue message of reassurance to the Trump faithful that, while his domestic enemies might yap at his heels, he is still treated like royalty in foreign capitals.”

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan – with whom Trump has publicly feuded in the past and whom Trump described as “the twin” of NYC mayor Bill DeBlasio “except shorter” – believes it’s “unBritish” to roll out the red carpet for this President; while a British viewer called into C-Span’s Washington Journal show to complain about the visit. “How dare [Trump] interfere in our affairs, that is why there will be a huge demonstration against him… but, please, it is not against the American people”

And C-Span also referenced this piece in the Washington Post that says Britain is “at its most delicate political moment in years. Now here comes Trump.” The Associated Press referred to the President as a “bull who insists on returning to the china shop.”

But perhaps the last word in preparation for the inevitable wall-to-wall coverage that’s about to descend on us should be left to Sky News and this promo video…

Check back with us tomorrow to see how the first day goes. We can barely wait…