Trump London protests - as it happened: President denies taped criticism of May as '100,000' protest US leader in London
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Donald Trump has insisted the ‘special relationship’ between Britain and the United States is “the highest level of special” as he addressed reporters alongside prime minister Theresa May at Chequers.
The president described Brexit as an “incredible opportunity” and said whatever Britain does after leaving the European Union was “OK with me” – hours after telling The Sun newspaper that Ms May’s plan may “kill” any trade deal between the UK and the US.
Responding to questions about the interview, Mr Trump described the report as “fake news,” while Ms May added the pair had discussed plans for an “ambitious” trade agreement.
Following his Chequers meeting, Mr Trump headed to Windsor Castle to meet the Queen. But the president quickly defied royal protocol by walking ahead of the monarch during an inspection of the Coldstream guards.
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Despite the humiliating interview, in which Mr Trump said the prime minister “didn’t listen” to his advice on Brexit, Ms May praised the American leader for “making tough calls and saying things that others would rather not say”.
“From the outset, President Trump has been clear about how he sees the challenges we face and on many we agree,” she added.
The second day of the American leader’s visit to the UK was marked by mass protests across Britain, with a huge blimp depicting him as a baby wearing a nappy flown by demonstrators in London.
The six-metre inflatable caricature took to the skies in Westminster as tens of thousands of demonstrators prepare to march through London’s streets.
Protests were also planned to take place outside Chequers and in Scotland, where the president leader will arrive on Friday evening after having tea with the Queen at Windsor Castle.
Mr Trump was heavily critical of the proposed EU deal thrashed out by Ms May her cabinet, warning it would “probably kill” any future UK-US trade agreement.
The US leader said he would have done the negotiations “much differently” and claimed the prime minister had not listened to his advice.
Mr Trump’s comments were condemned by a number of MPs, including the universities minister Sam Gyimah, who tweeted: “Where are your manners, Mr President?”
Good morning and welcome to The Independent's live coverage of the Donald Trump's visit to the UK.
Demonstrations will be held across the country today on the second day Mr Trump's first visit to Britain as US president. The main event will be in London, where tens of thousands of people are expected to march and a much-publicised blimp depicting the American leader a baby will flown over Westminister.
Protests will also take place in Scotland, Wales and at Chequers, the country retreat where Mr Trump will meet Theresa May later this morning.
Later, the president will fly by helicopter to Windsor Castle to meet the Queen, before heading to Scotland, where he will spend the night in one of his luxury hotels.
Joe Sommerlad has a run-down of where anti-Trump protests are planned today:
Trump visit schedule
The president was expected to leave London at around 9am today and head to Sandhust, the royal military academy, where he view a demonstration by the UK armed forces.
From there, he will travel to the Chequers, the prime minister's country residence in Buckinghamshire, for a bilaterial meeting and working lunch with Theresa May.
Mr Trump and Ms May are expected to discuss a possible US-UK trade deal before holding a joint press conference at about 1.45pm.
The president will then return to the US ambassador's mansion, Winfield House, in Regent's Park, London, before flying to Windsor Castle to meet the Queen at 5pm.
Mr Trump and first lady Melania will have tea with the monarch at the royal residence in Berkshire.
In the evening, the president will fly to Scotland to spend the night at his luxury hotel in Turnberry.
A much-publicised Trump blimp baby, depicting the president in a nappy, has been inflated by protesters in Westminster.
Activist Leo Murray raised £16,000 to pay for “Project Trump Baby”, a six-metre-high inflatable version of the president with unusually small hands and feet.
The Greater London Authority gave Mr Murray permission to tether the balloon in Parliament Square after a petition secured 10,000 signatures.
As the Trump blimp prepares to fly, the real thing is also taking to the skies.
The president has just departed Winfield House, the US ambassador's residence in Regent's Park, by helicopter. First on his itinerary today is a visit to the Sandhust military academy.
Theresa May and Donald Trump were all smiles, handshakes and diplomacy as they met at Bleinheim Palace yesterday evening for dinner.
Today they will get down to business, with an hour-long meeting followed by a working lunch, and things may will be a little tense after the president's latest intervention on Brexit.
In an outspoken interview with The Sun, Mr Trump said the Brexit deal agreed by the prime minister and her cabinet could "kill" any future US-UK trade deal.
He also said he had advised Ms May against pursuing a soft Brexit but she "didn't listen" to him.
Here's our full story, from Shehab Khan:
The Trump baby blimp has now taken to the skies above Parliament Square, and it's quite a sight:
Universities minister Sam Gyimah has accused Donald Trump of being rude, following the president's criticism of Theresa May's Brexit deal.
As the UK literally rolls out the red carpet for Donald Trump, Angela Merkel’s former foreign minister has warned that Europe must stop appeasing the US president and his policies.
Sigmar Gabriel, who served in the top post until earlier this year, told German media that Mr Trump “only knows strength” and accused him of wanting “regime change” in Berlin.
Our Europe correspondent Jon Stone has the full story:
Sadiq Khan has said he will not rise to Donald Trump's "beastly" comments, after the US president attacked him over terror attacks in Britain.
Mr Trump used an interview ahead of his UK visit to renew his personal feud with the London mayor, who he accused of doing "a terrible job".
Mr Khan has been a vocal critic if the American leader, but said on Friday that he is not the one fanning the flames of the feud and praised the "special relationship" between the UK and the US.
Asked if the row jeopardises that bond, he said: "It takes two to tango, and I'm not tweeting President Trump or saying beastly things about him."
The mayor earlier hit out at Mr Trump's comments on crime in the capital, telling BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I have seen no evidence that this crime has been brought in by immigration from Africa or other parts of the world to Europe."
He also defended allowing a giant balloon depicting Mr Trump as an angry baby to fly near Parliament, saying: "I shouldn't be the arbiter, as a politician, of what's in good taste or bad taste, what's important is it to be peaceful, and for it to be safe.
"And, frankly speaking, the idea that we limit the rights to protest, we limit the rights to free speech because it may cause offence to a foreign leader is a very, very slippery slope."
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