Trump's UK Visit on Hold

by Stephen Lendman

It may be cancelled altogether. Reportedly he told Prime Minister Theresa May he won't come until Brits support him - highly unlikely any time ahead.

He doesn't want to visit London if large-scale protests are planned during his visit.

Days after his inauguration, in response to May revealing he accepted Queen Elizabeth's invitation to come, anti-Trump campaigners used social media, calling for London's "biggest protest ever."

The Stand Up To Racism organization created a Facebook event to protest his visit. Stop the War, People's Assembly and Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament support the initiative to "oppose Trump's racism, sexism and bigotry."

It states "(t)he invitation to Donald Trump for a state visit will be opposed by millions in Britain. Our government should not be seen to be endorsing the sorts of ideas and policies he is putting forward."

Activists in America and Britain apparently don't understand the key issue isn't Trump's agenda. It's ruthless bipartisan US policies - it's endless imperial wars, support for monied interests over popular ones, and harsh crackdowns on nonbelievers.

In late January, May said Trump and his wife Melania were invited to make a state visit later this year, adding she was "delighted that (he) accepted the invitation."

No date was set at the time. In response to putting his visit on hold, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn tweeted his decision was "welcome, especially after his attack on London's mayor (Sadiq Kahn) & withdrawal from #ParisClimateDeal."

A senior unnamed administration source said Trump "really wants to come this year, but he wants the heat to die down a bit first."

"The White House watches what happens over here surprisingly closely, and (doesn't) want to create a scene for our sake…"

In February, British MPs fiercely debated the issue of a Trump state visit, strong criticism voiced against him, much like how undemocratic Democrats and media scoundrels react in America.

On Sunday, May's spokeswoman said plans for Trump's state visit haven't changed, adding "(w)e aren't going to comment on speculation about the contents of private phone conversations."

"The Queen extended an invitation to President Trump to visit the UK, and there is no change to those plans."

As of now, it'll be later in the year instead of early summer as originally planned - if he comes at all, very much up in the air given widespread hostility to his visit.

Over two million Brits signed an online petition opposing his visit. Lib Dem leader Tim Farron said "Trump is clearly terrified of the British public."

"He knows that the British people find his politics appalling and that they won't be scared to make their views known."

"Theresa May should be embarrassed that she was so quick to offer Trump a state visit. Now neither of them want to be seen with the other."

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net. 

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com. 

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