Trump says Putin has "really let me down," as he wraps up historic second state visit to U.K.

The president and first lady walked hand-in-hand to Air Force One. The president pumped his fist in the direction of reporters and the first lady waved, before saying goodbye to U.K. officials and boarding the plane.

The president did not speak to reporters before boarding. 

Air Force One was wheels up for Washington at 5:54 p.m. London time. Mr. Trump is expected to arrive back in D.C. Thursday evening. 

Prime Minister Starmer talked Thursday about the need to harness wind power as Britain seeks to create a combined and balanced energy supply, relying on both renewable sources and fossil fuels — which many experts say is the best way to lower energy prices and provide maximum reliability, as CBS News reported earlier this week.

Mr. Trump, however, criticized wind power as he has done in the past, calling it a "disaster" and reiterating his "drill baby, drill" mantra advocating for further fossil fuel exploration. He suggested that drilling for oil in the North Sea off Britain's shores would be more beneficial than developing off-shore wind farms.

The president has previously lambasted wind turbines located off the Scottish coast, within view of his Turnberry golf course, as ruining the view from the 18th hole, calling wind energy a "con job" and claiming the giant pieces of infrastructure pose a threat to seabirds.

The U.K. has set a goal for 50GW of offshore wind power generation in the North Sea by 2030 - which would be enough to power 120 million homes. Some experts estimate that energy generation in the North Sea could increase to 214GW by 2050.

According to Britain's National Grid, wind power amounted to 29.4% of the U.K.'s total electricity generation during 2023.

By Tucker Reals and Tracy Wholf

For the first time in more than half of a century, the U.K. will help build military aircraft under contract for the United States Air Force, the U.K. Ministry of Defense said Thursday in a press release. 

A contract between the U.K. government and Boeing is expected to create more than 150 jobs in Alabama and an additional 190 jobs across the U.K., the news release said.

According to the British military, the contract will include the reconfiguration of two Boeing 737s to create two new early-warning surveillance aircraft.

"The relationship between the UK and US has never been stronger, and this new deal with Boeing creates and supports hundreds of jobs across the UK — making defense an engine for growth and strengthening our collective security," U.K. Defense Minister John Healy said in a statement. 

The president lambasted comedian Jimmy Kimmel, whose show was pre-empted indefinitely for comments about the suspect arrested for Charlie Kirk's assassination. Kimmel said earlier in the week on his show that "the MAGA gang" was trying to score political points from the killing. 

Federal Communications Commission (FCC) chairman Brendan Carr issued a warning about possible action against ABC if the network didn't take action against Kimmel on its own, a move that concerned free speech advocates. 

"Well, Jimmy Kimmel was fired because he had bad ratings more than anything else," Mr. Trump said. "And he said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk. And Jimmy Kimmel is not a talented person. He had very bad ratings and they should have fired him a long time ago. So you know, you can call that free speech or not. He was fired for lack of talent." 

Mr. Trump said that if the price of oil comes down, Putin would be forced to "drop out" of the war in Ukraine.

"Very simply, if the price of oil comes down, Putin's gonna drop out," Mr. Trump said. "He's going to have no choice. He's going to drop out of that war."

Mr. Trump said he was disappointed when he realized European nations were buying oil from Russia. On his Truth Social media platform earlier this week, the president said he was "ready" to impose major sanctions on Russia if other NATO countries stop buying its oil. 

Britain and most other European nations have significantly reduced their previous reliance on Russian energy products, and the EU has set the goal of completely ending all purchases by 2027.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the killing of American political activist Charlie Kirk "shocking" on Thursday.

He said he called Mr. Trump when he heard the news of Kirk's death, because he knew the president and Kirk were close.

"We all need to be absolutely clear about that, whatever our political view, it is shocking and it is to be condemned," Starmer said of the killing.

Mr. Trump took a moment to remember Charlie Kirk, and to thank Britons who have remembered and mourned him. 

"Just last week, a great American, Charlie Kirk, was heinously assassinated for speaking his mind," the president said. "He was a great young man, incredible future. Some people said he might be president someday. I told him, I said, Charlie, I think you have a good shot someday of being president. He just wanted to take care of youth, he loved youth, I've never seen anybody relate to youth like Charlie. And they related to him. And they're devastated. But I appreciate the many British citizens who have offered their condolences."

Asked whether he was waiting to recognize a Palestinian state until after Mr. Trump leaves the United Kingdom, Prime Minister Keir Starmer responded by condemning Hamas and said the timing of the U.K.'s expected move had "nothing to do" with the president's visit.

"Let me be really clear about Hamas: They're a terrorist organization who can have no part in any future governance of Palestine," Starmer said.

He said the timing of the U.K.'s recognition of a Palestinian state, "has got nothing to do with this state visit. I've discussed it with the president, as you would among leaders who respect each other and like each other and want to bring about a better solution in the best way that we can."

"I don't know him, actually," Mr. Trump said about the former U.K. Ambassador to the U.S. Peter Mandelson, who was recently fired over revelations about his past friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

"We have to put extra pressure on Putin, and it's only when the president has put pressure on Putin that he's actually shown any inclination," Starmer said. "So we have to run that pressure up."

The U.K. prime minister, referring to recent strikes by Russia in Ukraine, said, "what you can see is either an emboldenment or at least an increased recklessness on Putin's part."

When asked whether the U.K. would label antifa a domestic terror organization, as Mr. Trump has recently done, Starmer said only that the U.K. government would "take decisions for ourselves. I don't want to comment on the decisions of the president, but we take our decisions ourselves."

Without revealing details, the president said the U.S. is trying to get "back" the Bagram air base in Afghanistan, which was taken over by the Taliban, as was the entire country shortly after, following the August 2021 U.S. military withdrawal.

"We're trying to get it back, by the way," the president said of the air base. "That could be a little breaking news. We're trying to get it back. Because they need things from us. We want that base back." 

The president said one reason the U.S. wants control of the base is its location, saying it's an "hour away from where China makes its nuclear weapons," apparently referring to the time it would take to fly to the unspecified location from the airfield.

The U.S. president was asked why he believes the U.K. position affirming a Palestinian state is wrong. Starmer said he and Mr. Trump spoke about the situation and agreed on the need for peace, but not necessarily how to achieve it. 

"Well simply, I want the hostages released now, right now," Mr. Trump said. 

The president said he thinks it's "going to be OK," but reiterated that "we have to get the hostages back immediately."

"I have a disagreement with the prime minister on that score, OK?" Mr. Trump said of the concept of recognizing a Palestinian state. "One of our few disagreements actually."

Prime Minister Keir Starmer says he and Mr. Trump discussed the U.K. recognizing a Palestinian state.

"We absolutely agree on the need for peace and a road map, because the situation in Gaza is intolerable," Starmer said.

The U.K. prime minister said recognition of a Palestinian state would be "part of that overall package which hopefully takes us from the appalling situation we're in now to the outcome of a safe and secure Israel, which we do not have, and a viable Palestinian state."

President Trump voiced frustration that Russia's war in Ukraine continues, after talking about what he views as his foreign policy successes around the world, repeating his claim to have solved "seven wars."  

"The one that I thought would be easiest would be because of my relationship with President Putin, but he's let me down — he's really let me down — was gonna be Russia and Ukraine," the president said. "But we'll see how that turns out. But that turned out to be, I thought it might be among the easiest of the group." 

The U.S. president began his remarks by thanking the Starmers for their "wonderful hospitality," as well as for the welcome he had been shown by King Charles and Queen Camilla. 

"We will never forget it," he said. 

As he did earlier in the trip, the president remarked on the long and storied history between the two nations. 

"The United States and the United Kingdom have done more good on this planet than any two nations in human history," he said, adding that's in large part to the United Kingdom's commitment to liberty that ancestors carried to the new world. 

"We are forever joined and we're forever friends and we will always be friends," Mr. Trump said. 

"We are working together to end the humanitarian catastrophe in the Middle East and get the aid in, free the hostages and ultimately bring Israel and the region back towards a comprehensive plan which can deliver peace and security for Israelis and Palestinians," Starmer said.

The British leader then said "we're also working together to end the killing in Ukraine."

"In recent days, Putin has shown his true face, mounting the biggest attack since the invasion began with yet more bloodshed, yet more innocents killed, and the unprecedented violations of NATO airspace" he said about Russia's leader.

Starmer said that "these are not the actions of someone who wants peace. So we've discussed today how we can build our defenses further to support Ukraine and decisively increase the pressure on Putin to get him to agree a peace deal that will last."

U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has begun a joint press conference with President Trump at Chequers with remarks hailing the two countries' ties. 

"We've renewed the special relationship for a new era," Starmer said, calling the U.S. and U.K. "first partners" in defense and trade.

The U.K. prime minister spoke about the U.S.-U.K. defense relationship.

"Now, as we drive up defense spending, we're going to sweep away the barriers to working together on new defense technologies."

Mr. Trump, Prime Minister Starmer and their wives watched a parachute demonstration ahead of their anticipated press conference. Several parachutists descended and landed, trailing red smoke. 

Some carried U.S. and U.K. flags. The leaders watched and applauded before going back inside the prime minister's country residence, Chequers. 

The ABC Australia television network confirmed to CBS News that it has been told it is no longer being allocated a spot at the joint news conference Thursday by President Trump and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, saying it was informed this was due to "logistical reasons".

The network said that according to the prime minister's office, it was still accredited to cover Mr. Trump's visit to Starmer's Chequers country house on Thursday, adding that it had been given no indication that the loss of its news conference spot was connected to the questions put to Mr. Trump by ABC Americas Editor John Lyons earlier in the week.

Lyons pressed Mr. Trump Tuesday at the White House about his business ventures and how much his net worth had increased since he took office for his second term, asking him: "Is it appropriate, President Trump, that a president in office should be engaged in so much business activity?"

"In my opinion, you are hurting Australia right now," Mr. Trump responded.

Asked about ABC losing its slot at the news conference, a U.K. government spokesperson told CBS News on Thursday that "media accreditation for the State Visit press conference at Chequers has been limited by capacity, caused by inevitable high demand."

By Emmet Lyons and Tucker Reals

U.S. first lady Melania Trump joined Catherine, the Princess of Wales, for a visit on Thursday to the royal family's Frogmore Cottage in Windsor, where they met with a group of young scouts.

Catherine gave the children sandwiches made with honey from her home in Norfolk, while Melania brought honey from the White House, CBS News partner network BBC News reports.

President Trump and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer have signed a new technology partnership deal. The two leaders held up their signed documents for photos after they each make statements about the deal.

President Trump lauded the official country residence of Prime Minister Keir Starmer, known as Chequers, Britain's equivalent to Camp David. Mr Trump told his host he had been there before, but "today it looks even better, even more beautiful," after being welcomed back to the U.K. for a historic second state visit.

Mr. Trump called it an "exquisite honor" to be invited for the second visit.

No other second term U.S. president in modern times has been invited back to Britain for a formal state visit, which comes with full ceremonial events led by the royal family.

Mr. Trump spoke about opportunities in agriculture and aerospace, saying there was "no more natural partnership in the world" than that of the U.S. and United Kingdom.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Trump gave joint remarks on Thursday at an event attended by a bevy of leaders from the tech sector, to announce that they would sign a technology investment deal that Starmer called "a blueprint to win this new era together."

"It is the biggest investment package of its kind in British history," Starmer said, calling the agreement "groundbreaking."

"This is a great day for the special relationship," he said, before asking Mr. Trump to make his own remarks, calling him "my friend, our friend, President Trump."

King Charles III hosted President Trump for a day of ceremony capped by a state banquet on Wednesday just days after Britain's leader fired the country's most senior diplomat in the United States over the Epstein scandal.

Peter Mandelson served as the U.K. ambassador in Washington until he was fired by Prime Minister Keir Starmer last Thursday over new revelations about his past friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein — just five days before Mr. Trump's state visit began.

Mandelson's temporary replacement is James Roscoe, according to a British government website, which notes his previous role as deputy head of the U.S. mission. Roscow previously spent three years as a communications director working for the late Queen Elizabeth II, according to The Telegraph newspaper, and was also chief press officer at Downing Street under former Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.

The paper said Roscoe is only expected to act as the embassy's chargé d'affaires until a different, permanent successor to Mandelson is chosen.

U.S. first lady Melania Trump joined Queen Camilla on Thursday to view Queen Mary's Dolls' House in the Royal Library at Windsor Castle.

The two women looked at the antique miniature books and the doll's house, which the Royal Collection Trust calls "the largest and most famous dolls' house in the world," and they spoke with some children gathered in the library before continuing their tour of the collection.

The dolls' house was built as a gift to Queen Mary between 1921 and 1924, according to the trust.

U.S. companies will be investing 150 billion pounds, the equivalent of over $200 billion, in the U.K. as part of a landmark package announced this week.

"I promised that my government would deliver jobs, growth and opportunity for working people. Today we have secured a historic £150bn of investment commitments from US companies into the UK. Creating 7,600 high quality jobs and driving growth across the country," Starmer said in a social media post Thursday morning before he welcomed President Trump to his country house, Chequers.

The deal includes the equivalent of over $136 billion in investment in the U.K. from Blackstone over the next decade, according to the British government. It also includes investments from Prologis, Palantir, Amentum, Boeing and STAX.

"It marks the largest commercial package ever secured during a State Visit, underscoring the power of the UK-US economic partnership," the U.K. government said in a statement. The investment announced by the British government comes alongside the Tech Prosperity Deal, which is expected to be signed Thursday by Mr. Trump and Starmer at Chequers.

British firms will also be investing in the U.S., the U.K. government said, among them GSK, Urenco, BP, Sage, OakNorth, Rothesay and Revolut.

The U.K. government said major U.S. and U.K. investors were due to meet with Mr. Trump and Starmer at Chequers on Thursday, to "discuss how both countries can go further to deepen economic ties and unlock new opportunities for collaboration."

Chequers is the U.K. prime minister's country house. Located about 40 miles northwest of London, it is a formidable estate, though no match for the environs of Windsor Castle where Mr. Trump spent Wednesday.

The home was constructed in the mid-1500s, about 200 years before the United States came into being, and it has served as the official country residence of Britain's prime ministers since 1921.

Highly secured and well out of public view, Chequers has been the venue for a number of important meetings and negotiations. Famous visitors over the years have included many European leaders, U.S. Presidents Richard Nixon, and Bill Clinton, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

In 1941, then-U.K. Prime Minister Winston Churchill was at Chequers when he learned that the Japanese navy had attacked Pearl Harbor, bringing the United States into World War II.

President Trump's Marine One helicopter touched down on the grounds of the U.K. prime minister's official country residence Thursday. 

Mr. Trump was greeted by Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria, and they walked into the house for a day of closed-door talks and a separate meeting with business leaders.

Mr. Trump and Starmer are expected to discuss a range of issues Thursday, including trade. On Wednesday, Mr. Trump said Starmer's government is hoping to negotiate "a little bit better deal" to ease trade restrictions including U.S. tariffs.

The leaders are expected to formally announce a U.S.-U.K. "Technology Prosperity Deal," boosting ties in AI, quantum computing, and nuclear energy, with companies including Google, Microsoft and Nvidia on board to formalize some $42 billion of investments in the U.K. — part of a much larger investment agreement between the two nations.

The wars in Gaza and Ukraine are also likely to come up, as Starmer has joined several other countries in announcing plans to recognize a Palestinian state if Israel fails to meet certain conditions, including agreeing to a ceasefire with Hamas and letting in more humanitarian aid.

On the war in Ukraine, Starmer and other European leaders have pushed Mr. Trump to take a harder line on Vladimir Putin, who's blown past a series of deadlines issued by the president for Putin to meet directly with Ukraine's leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy to negotiate a ceasefire. 

Mr. Trump has recently said "it takes two to tango," suggesting he could still impose new sanctions against Russia, but he said America's NATO allies first had to halt all purchases of Russian energy.

By Tucker Reals and Sara Cook 

President Trump bid farewell to King Charles and Windsor Castle on Thursday and boarded his Marine One helicopter for the short flight to Chequers, the official country residence of the British prime minister, Keir Starmer. 

He's to hold a bilateral meeting, behind closed doors, with Starmer, and will also join a reception with business leaders, before the two leaders hold a joint news conference. 

On Thursday afternoon, Mr. Trump will leave Chequers and fly back to the U.S.

President Trump and first lady Melania were feted by King Charles III on the first full day of their state visit, the British royals putting on the kind of display they have long been known for — giving their U.S. visitor full military honors and a glittering state banquet at Windsor Castle.

There were protests in London, and even at Windsor the night before the Trumps arrived, deriding the U.S. leader's policies and highlighting his past ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. But police estimated a crowd of only about 5,000, and as the protesters were in central London, about 20 miles from Windsor, they were well out of Mr. Trump's earshot as he enjoyed the royal treatment.

The day included a military honor featuring more than 1,000 British troops marching in formation, a military flypast — albeit toned down due to rain, a visit to the late Queen Elizabeth II's tomb, and then a formal state banquet where Mr. Trump sat at the center of a dining table more than 150 feet long.