Trump and Starmer Forge £150 Billion Investment Pact at Chequers

U.S. President Donald Trump met British Prime Minister Keir Starmer at Chequers in Buckinghamshire on Thursday to seal a historic £150 billion investment package and discuss pressing global issues including Ukraine and Gaza.

Nut Graf The meeting shifted the focus of Trump’s second state visit from royal pageantry to politics and economics, underlining both leaders’ aim to bolster transatlantic ties amid domestic and international pressures.

Key Outcomes

  • £150 Billion Investment Agreement Major U.S. firms including Blackstone, Palantir and Nvidia committed to invest in UK technology, energy and life-science sectors, promising some 7,600 new jobs.
  • Technology Prosperity Deal Signed Both governments agreed on a new technology partnership to advance AI, quantum computing and civil nuclear projects, backed by leading companies such as Google and OpenAI.
  • Foreign Policy Agenda Starmer pressed Trump to uphold support for Ukraine and adopt a stronger stance on Israel’s Gaza offensive. Trump stopped short of pledging new Russia sanctions without broader European action.

Meeting Highlights

  • Trump toured the Winston Churchill archives at Chequers with Starmer’s wife, showcasing shared wartime heritage.
  • A joint press conference previewed deeper collaboration on finance and trade, including a proposed Transatlantic taskforce co-chaired by UK Finance Minister Rachel Reeves and U.S. Trade Secretary Gina Raimondo.
  • Security preparations had anticipated large protests, but the private country-house setting minimized public disruptions.

Wider Context

Starmer, facing waning approval ratings at home, aimed to demonstrate economic dividends of the state visit, while Trump sought to showcase tangible benefits of the “special relationship” to his base. Both leaders navigated uncomfortable topics, notably questions over Jeffrey Epstein ties, during the afternoon briefing.

The successful Chequers summit concludes the political phase of Trump’s second state visit, with the president returning to the U.S. later today.