BREXIT/BRITAIN/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Britain plans to welcome President Trump with the formality of a state visit in June, Buckingham Palace announced on Tuesday [4-23-19], two and a half years after first extending the invitation. Prime Minister Theresa May first conveyed the invitation for a state visit to Mr. Trump when he took office in 2017. Mr. Trump accepted, but it became an on-again, off-again arrangement that came to reflect the hesitation and awkwardness that has characterized relations between the two leaders. Mrs. May’s enthusiasm for a visit is partly because of her country’s need for strong bilateral partnerships after Brexit. Mr. Trump traveled to Britain last year on a working visit, a downgrade from his original plans. The trip included meeting Queen Elizabeth II but not the honor of a full state visit, which usually includes ceremonies, government meetings, a ballroom banquet and other public engagements. The president and first lady accepted the invitation, the White House said in an emailed statement on Tuesday. During his visit, Mr. Trump will meet the queen and hold talks with the British prime minister, the statement added.”
–Palko Karasz and Stephen Castle, “Trump’s State Visit to Britain, Long Delayed, Now Has a Date,” The New York Times online, April 23, 2019