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A recent poll has revealed outrage over Donald Trump’s second state visit invitation, with nearly half of the respondents calling for its cancellation after his explosive confrontation with Ukrainian President Zelensky.
About 42 per cent believed the invitation should be withdrawn, and a petition by 38 Degrees has already collected more than 180,000 signatures.
Meanwhile, a poll of Independent readers revealed an even stronger response, with 88 per cent saying the visit with King Charles III should not go ahead at the time of writing.
You can still cast your vote in the poll below.
When we asked for your views, readers were more contemplative in their responses. Some condemned the move as a grovelling act by Sir Keir Starmer – who delivered the invitation on the eve of Trump’s infamous White House shouting match – and worried that it would unnecessarily boost Trump’s ego.
Critics argued that extending the invitation not only panders to Trump’s unpredictable temperament but also undermines the UK’s strong public support for Ukraine.
On the other side of the debate, many warned that rescinding the invitation might appear insulting, suggesting instead a low-key visit that minimizes pomp while still holding firm to Britain’s principled stance in a turbulent global climate.
Here’s what you had to say:
Feeding Trump’s ego
As an American, I can truthfully say that any meeting with the King will only feed Trump’s ego and inflate his sense of self-importance, reinforcing his belief that he is indispensable to the political processes of the entire Western alliance of the EU and NATO.
He is already insufferable – this will only make him more so.
Bejeebers
The visit must go ahead, but…
As difficult as it is to say this, and as much as I can’t stand to see people being forced to grovel and feed the MAGA egos, Europe (including the UK) HAS to remain the grown-up in the room. Excluding voices and people is what has got the world into the mess it is in – pitting one ideology against another, one group against another, one country against another, etc.
So yes, unfortunately, for now at least, the visit must go ahead. We must become the true peacekeepers and unifiers that Trump keeps saying he wants to be.
Kat13
Trump’s inconsistency
Trump can’t, he claims, remember what he said a few days ago, so there is no reason to assume that he will keep his word on anything. Remember, he rules by executive order – not through Congress – so there’s no one holding him to account.
So, why bother to be nice to him? I don’t think you can win him over.
Goodday
Not in my name!
Absolutely no state visit! The current narrative is all about Ukraine – what about that obscene AI/CGI filth Trumpsky put out about Gaza? That alone should be enough to scupper any notion of a visit. Not in my name!
Wheeg
A hostile state
We should look at the USA as a hostile state until they can prove otherwise. Trump has said in plain language that America comes first and he has no interest in Europe. We must build up self-reliance and defense.
The odds are that Trump will pull the USA out of Nato – if he does, what is the point of having American military bases and troops on European soil? The UK has been America’s lapdog for too long; to Americans, the UK is nothing but a static aircraft carrier.
knightmareowl
Don’t hide him from protests
I don’t want to see him over here. But if he must come, please don’t hide him away from any demonstrations against him.
Let him be in a place where he can see what the real British people think about him.
CrisP
Keeping Trump onside
If our intelligence service and satellite dependence are intertwined with that of the US, as Sir Keir Starmer has warned – after many years of our being close allies, which I believe to be the case – I think that any form of persuasion to keep Trump onside would be preferable to his handing all this over to Putin.
Fairdeal
Sycophantic sweetener
This was offered to Trump as a sycophantic sweetener and everyone knows it. We can all see how transparent Trump is.
Trump was supposed to play nice – bribery only works if both parties understand it. Trump blew the deal up in Starmer’s face and still expects the state visit to go ahead. This is a joke, right? What is the point of a naked bribe if the bribee does not follow through?
Jim987
Grovelling act
The invitation should not have been made in the first place. It was a grovelling act that placed us firmly in a position subservient to the will of Trump. Having made the offer, it will now be virtually impossible to withdraw it given the volatile and revengeful nature of the US President.
The best we can hope for is that the date of the visit can be delayed sufficiently for it never to happen.
RedRooster
Let him come, politely
Let him come. Be distantly polite in true English fashion. Minimise the security and the pomp, and do as little as possible to hide him from the inevitable protests and demonstrations. Ensure that plenty of women and members of minority groups have key roles in whatever is organised. Invite other leaders of small, well-governed countries to come at the same time and make our goodwill towards them apparent.
BrianC
Massaging his fragile ego
Yes, sadly, through gritted teeth. Trump has the power, and the only way to keep him remotely onside is to massage his fragile ego. The guy has zero self-awareness, and that’s a useful flaw – he’s a sucker for being sucked up to.
Hopefully, there will come a point when the UK, the EU, and its proper allies can pretty much match the US’s trading might, and then we can call his bluff. Why can’t Canada send its oil and aluminium to the EU, for example, instead of the US? That would both remove Trump’s tariff premium and secure a vital source of these products. Yes, I know – simplistic and it won’t be easy. But, man, that would be a sucker-punch and a lesson he would understand.
DevsAd
The invitation should stand
Moimeme
Yes, the invitation should stand. The event can be managed up or down, as appropriate at the time. The meeting between Charles III and Zelensky was nicely managed, taking place before Trump, but not as a full state visit – pointed but low-key.
Dissapointing
I am disappointed that King Charles invited Donald Trump to a second state dinner. As the Head of the Commonwealth, of which Canada is a member, he should not reward Trump for imposing tariffs on Canada and disrespecting Justin Trudeau by calling him “Governor.”
RonLec
Keep him on board
I dislike Trump and do not trust him. However, he is the current leader of the richest country with the strongest military. More importantly, Nato cannot currently function without him. Hence, we have to keep him on board and kowtow to him for the foreseeable future. If a state customer with the King is part of that, then so be it.
CardoCardo
Some of the comments have been edited for this article for brevity and clarity. You can read the full discussion in the comments section of the original article here.
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