LONDON: Donald Trump’s second state visit to the United Kingdom this week is shaping up to be as controversial as his first, with an imminent protest and a simmering personal feud with London mayor Sadiq Khan threatening to overshadow the carefully choreographed royal pageantry.

Mr Khan fired the opening salvo ahead of the visit, highlighting new Home Office figures showing a record number of Americans applying for UK citizenship. He attributed the surge to London’s “liberal values” and diversity, remarks seen as a direct rebuke of Trump.

“Many Americans identify with our values — adherence to the rule of law, celebrating diversity, and defending minority rights,” the mayor said. Earlier in the month, Mr Khan in an interview had said, “I’ll show him mosques, diversity and the Notting Hill Carnival. It’ll prove that multi-culturalism is our greatest strength.”

The US president, who has repeatedly called Mr Khan a “stone cold loser” and accused him of presiding over rising crime in the capital, is unlikely to let the criticism pass unanswered.

Right-leaning commentators in Britain have urged restraint. Writing in the Telegraph, columnist Brendan O’Neill warned Mr Khan not to repeat what he desc­r­i­bed as “infantile stunts” and recalling the giant Trump Baby balloon flown over Parliament Square during the president’s earlier visits. “Our relationship with Ame­rica is more important than ever,” he cautioned.

But protests are already planned. The Stop Trump Coalition has announced a large-scale march through London on Wednesday, the first day of the visit, when Trump will meet King Charles and PM Keir Starmer.

The demonstration comes less than a week after a far-right rally in London, addressed by former Trump adviser Elon Musk, whose warnings of violent uprising drew condemnation from Starmer.

Behind the scenes, officials are bracing for potential pitfalls. The BBC reports that Windsor Castle has been transformed into a “ring of steel,” with 1,300 troops and 120 horses deployed to stage the ceremonial welcome and carriage procession. Palace aides have pored over banquet seating plans and menus to ensure the president feels honoured, while also preparing King Charles’s speech to avoid political controversy.

Official state visits by US presidents are rare and make this week’s spectacle diplomatically significant. But with protesters on the streets and a Sadiq Khan-Trump feud simmering, the risks of political theatre overshadowing substance remain high.

Published in Dawn, September 17th, 2025