7/12/2018

PROTESTS/UK/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “US President Donald Trump arrived for a controversial two-day visit to the UK Thursday [7-12-18], shrugging off the prospect of protests and declaring that he was popular with Britons because of his hardline stance on immigration. Shortly before leaving a turbulent NATO summit in Brussels, Trump said the British people shared his concerns on immigration, claiming ‘that’s why Brexit happened.’ His comments were a signal that his trip to the UK — billed as a ‘working’ visit but laced a degree of pomp and ceremony — would be eventful. He is due to hold talks with Prime Minister Theresa May and take tea with Queen Elizabeth II. His schedule has been carefully designed to avoid planned protests, including the flying of a giant ‘baby Trump’ balloon. Trump arrived at Stansted airport, north of London, early Thursday afternoon. He was flown by helicopter to the residence of the US ambassador to the UK at Regent’s Park, central London, where a large steel security fence has been erected. Trump will spend the night there after a black-tie dinner at Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of one of his heroes, Winston Churchill. Speaking at the dinner, May repeated her desire to conclude a post-Brexit trade deal with the United States.”

Angela Dewan, “‘I think they like me there:’ Trump says he’s popular in UK despite threat of protests,” CNN Politics, CNN.com, July 12, 2018 3:40 pm