Trump and Starmer trade compliments but defend differences

By Andrew MacAskill and Andrea Shalal

EDINBURGH/TURNBERRY, Scotland (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump spoke warmly about the "special relationship" with Britain on Monday, lavishing praise on Prime Minister Keir Starmer, King Charles, and his own mother's Scottish homeland from the ballroom of his Turnberry golf club.

But mixed in with the compliments were warnings for Starmer on energy policy, immigration, and tax, as well as a pointed attack on London Mayor Sadiq Khan, Starmer's political ally.

Seated side-by-side, Starmer and Trump fielded more than an hour of questions from media in a whirlwind tour of global affairs that included setting a new deadline for Russia to agree a ceasefire in Ukraine and announcing food centres to ease starvation in Gaza.

When it came to the Anglo-American relationship, Trump's often outspoken - and sometimes confrontational approach - to such media appearances was replaced with a charm offensive.

"The prime minister, he's been so supportive of us and so strong and so respected, and I respect him much more today than I did before, because I just met his wife and family. He's got a perfect wife, and that's never easy to achieve," Trump said.

Starmer, who spoke for only a small fraction of the 72 minutes the two spent in the gaze of the world's media, reciprocated the compliments freely in what was the latest chapter of a burgeoning friendship between the two leaders, who hail from opposing sides of the political spectrum.

"It's fantastic to be here - thank you for your hospitality - and to see this amazing golf course. I'll invite you to a football ground at some stage, and we can exchange sports," Starmer joked.

DEFENDING KHAN

However, the British leader jumped in when Trump - who argued publicly with London mayor Khan during his first term as president - said Khan was doing a bad job running the British capital and called him a "nasty person".

"He's a friend of mine, I should add," Starmer interjected, before Trump continued: "I think he's done a terrible job."

Starmer listened to Trump talk about cutting immigration - an area in which the British leader is seen by the public as failing. Trump said that policy was key to his 2024 U.S. election win, alongside his promises to reduce taxes and boost the economy.

Starmer's government, only a year after winning a landslide victory, is facing a fiscal crunch caused by a stagnant economy, and many analysts expect tax increases later this year to plug the gap.

On energy, the two talked up the potential of small nuclear reactors, but set out opposing positions on other sources of power.

Trump gently urged Starmer to make more of Britain's oil and gas resources and renewed criticism of the offshore wind turbines that dot the coast near his golf course, and which form a key part of Starmer's plans for a carbon-free energy system.

"Wind is a disaster," Trump said. "It's a very expensive energy, it's a very ugly energy and we won't allow it in the United States."

Starmer replied: "We believe in a mix."

STATE VISIT

Smoothing over their differences on policy, the two looked ahead to Trump's next visit in September when he will be hosted by King Charles for a state visit.

"I hate to say it, but nobody does it like you people in terms of the pomp and ceremony," Trump said. "I'm a big fan of King Charles. I've known him for quite a while. Great guy, great person."

After accepting an invitation presented to him during Starmer's visit to the White House in February, Trump will become the first world leader in modern times to undertake two state visits to Britain.

"This is going to be a historic occasion, and we're all very much looking forward to it," Starmer said.

In May, Washington and London announced the first bilateral trade deal made in the wake of steep new tariffs on global imports imposed by Trump.

Trump's visit concludes on Tuesday, when he will open a new golf course near Aberdeen named after his mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, who was born and raised on a Scottish island before emigrating to the United States.

(Reporting by Andrew MacAskill in Turnberry and Andrea Shalal in Edinburgh; additional reporting by Sam Tabahriti in London; writing by William James; Editing by Leslie Adler and Rosalba O'Brien)