Trump planning visit to Britain in late summer, says US official

DONALD TRUMP is looking to visit the UK in late summer, according to a senior official in his administration.

Mr Trump has yet to travel to the UK since being elected in November 2016. No date has been set for a state visit following an invitation extended by Theresa May, the Prime Minister, in the week that followed his inauguration in January 2017.

The visit this summer would more likely be a working visit.

Last January, Mr Trump had been expected to open the new US embassy in London but cancelled, saying the building was too costly and in an “off location”. Mr Trump reportedly told Mrs May at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, later that month that he would visit in the summer.

The senior administration official indicated that timetable was on track, although the end of the summer was now being looked at. The official’s comments came during a discussion of trip to the US by Emmanuel Macron, the French president, next week for the first state visit by a foreign leader during Mr Trump’s administration.

A key element of their discussions is expected to be the future of the Iran nuclear deal. France, the UK and Germany are all involved in intense talks with the US as they argue that the US should not scrap the deal. Mr Trump is due to make a decision next month.

Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, is due to make a separate visit to see Mr Trump at the White House on April 27.

Asked whether Mrs May might also visit Washington before the Iran nuclear deal deadline, the senior administration official said: “I don’t know right now that kind of visit is on the schedule.”

But the official added: “I know the president, late summer, is looking at a visit to the UK where they would meet.

“But I don’t know one way or another whether the Prime Minister will be here before the (Iran) deadline.”