Latest: Protesters warned as Trump continues his UK visit
Key Points:
- President Trump arrives at Winfield House in central London
- Theresa May hosts the US President following a NATO summit in Brussels earlier today
- Protests are planned during the course of his visit, which ends on Sunday
- Police living conditions dubbed unacceptable during President's visit
- The president dismissed the protests before flying to the UK, saying people in Britain "like me a lot"
- Mr Trump is set to meet the Queen and business leaders during his stay
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has called for protests against Donald Trump to be "peaceful" and says those intending to cause trouble are "unwelcome".
Many posters and banners in protest of the President can be seen across the city today.
An Amnesty International banner - emblazoned with the words "human rights nightmare" - was draped over Vauxhall Bridge, opposite the US Embassy earlier today.
At Vauxhall Bridge @amnesty have unveiled a banner ahead of Trump’s imminent arrival in the UK🇬🇧 pic.twitter.com/xBgGUgnJn0
— Christina Michaels (@Christina5News) July 12, 2018
Meanwhile, controversy surrounds the living conditions of some police force members during the US President's visit.
West Midlands police and crime commissioner David Jamieson said that conditions "looked like an earthquake zone in a third world country."
He told Sky News that the conditions were not acceptable.
Police Federation complained of sleeping conditions for some offices who are joining the operation for the visit.
.@EssexPoliceUK say they're working to improve conditions for some officers who are supporting President Trump's visit. Labour's Shadow Policing Minister Louise Haigh (pron - HAIG) told the Commons that some officers were being force to sleep in primitive conditions. pic.twitter.com/HGpzZ5spWc
— BBC Essex (@BBCEssex) July 12, 2018
Essex Police have said that they are working to improve conditions for officers.
Police officers from nearly every force in England and Wales will be deployed as part of the operation.
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have arrived at Winfield House in central London for the start of a four-day visit to the UK.
President @realDonaldTrump arrives at the US Ambassador's London residence in Regent's Park #TrumpUKVisit
— Sky News (@SkyNews) July 12, 2018
Follow all the latest from Trump's visit: https://t.co/Z39WoZ56Py pic.twitter.com/nYV3lbbedV
Donald Trump has arrived in the UK after the Nato summit in Brussels earlier today.
The President of the United States will attend a black-tie dinner at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, hosted by prime minister Theresa May.
The president will then head to central London to spend the night at Winfield House - the US ambassador's residence in Regent's Park.
Donald Trump’s military entourage arrived at Stansted Airport well before the US president, who was delayed at the Nato summit in Brussels.
Awaiting him on the tarmac were three MV-22 Osprey helicopters belonging to the US Marines which are used to transport his staff and security detail on overseas trips.
Two VH-60N White Hawk helicopters staffed by military officers in dress uniform were waiting nearby.
Press were asked to don neon orange vests while a flatbed truck was stationed on the tarmac to ensure photographers and cameramen got the best view of Mr Trump’s arrival.
Theresa May will host the US president and his wife Melania days after he said the UK was in “turmoil” following the Cabinet resignations triggered by the Prime Minister’s Brexit plans.
A motorcade of several vehicles has left central London for Stansted Airport, where Donald Trump is soon set to arrive on Air Force One.
President Donald Trump will have some "down time" when he lands in the UK before attending a black-tie dinner at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, hosted by prime minister Theresa May.
The president will then head to central London to spend the night at Winfield House - the US ambassador's residence in Regent's Park.
Speaking to reporters in Brussels about the protests over his UK visit, President Donald Trump said: "They like me a lot in the UK. I think they agree with me on immigration."
He added: "I think that's why Brexit happened."
Donald Trump is about to arrive in the UK on Air Force One for a two day visit. Protesters are already gathering ar… https://t.co/7Z7yaBNxhc
— Sky News (@SkyNews) July 12, 2018
Mr Trump, who is due in the UK in around an hour, said: "I am going to a pretty hot spot right now with a lot of resignations."
Asked about his views on the UK's plans for Brexit, Mr Trump said: "I would say Brexit is Brexit. The people voted to break it up so I would imagine that's what they would do, but maybe they're taking a different route - I don't know if that is what they voted for."
He added it seemed as if the UK was "getting at least partially involved back with the European Union".
"I'd like to see them be able to work it out so it could go quickly," he said.
Mr Trump has said Nato countries were not spending "nearly enough" on defence - despite billions of additional dollars being invested since he issued a warning over the US' future contribution to the alliance.
Speaking in Brussels he said that "tremendous" progress had been made on extra spending.
"We made a tremendous amount of progress today," he told reporters.
"The United States' commitment to Nato remains very strong," he said.
The president tweeted: "Europe's borders are BAD! Pipeline dollars to Russia are not acceptable!"
Speaking about countries' contribution to Nato, Mr Trump told reporters: "Yesterday, I let them know I was extremely unhappy with what was happening and they have substantially upped their commitment."
Nato was now "much stronger than it was two days ago", he said.
"I believe in Nato."
Presidents have been trying unsuccessfully for years to get Germany and other rich NATO Nations to pay more toward their protection from Russia. They pay only a fraction of their cost. The U.S. pays tens of Billions of Dollars too much to subsidize Europe, and loses Big on Trade!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 12, 2018
Mr Trump said: "I told people I would be very unhappy if they didn't up their commitments very substantially."
At the Brussels press conference, he said he believed in Nato but the skewed levels of funding were "unfair" on the US.
Mr Trump said that Nato would soon discuss member defence spending at a higher level than the alliance's target of 2% of GDP.
"I think 4% is the right number," he said.
....On top of it all, Germany just started paying Russia, the country they want protection from, Billions of Dollars for their Energy needs coming out of a new pipeline from Russia. Not acceptable! All NATO Nations must meet their 2% commitment, and that must ultimately go to 4%!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 12, 2018
Mr Trump insisted Nato leaders were now "putting up a lot" and it was "unnecessary" to pull the US out of the organisation.
He said Germany had agreed to increase "very substantially" the timescale for increasing funding.
"The people have stepped up today like they have never stepped up before," he said.
Mr Trump said everybody in the room had thanked him, including secretary general Jens Stoltenberg, and described himself as a "very stable genius".
