An invitation from King Charles III to U.S. President Donald Trump for a second state visit to the UK has sparked widespread backlash, with thousands of Brits voicing their opposition.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer personally handed Trump the written invitation during a meeting in the Oval Office on Thursday, February 27. However, the move has been met with dismay, prompting a petition that has already garnered over 70,000 signatures as of March 2.
As Starmer presented the letter, he described the invitation as “really special” and “unprecedented,” emphasizing the historic nature of the gesture. *”This has never happened before. It is my pleasure to bring from His Majesty the King, a letter,”* Starmer said. *”He sends his best wishes and his regards, of course, but he also asked me to bear this letter and bring it to you. So can I present a letter from the King.”*
Trump accepted the invitation immediately, but the news did not sit well with many in the UK. The **Stop Trump Coalition** quickly launched a petition titled *”Cancel Trump’s State Visit,”* which has gained significant traction. The petition argues that Trump’s recent behavior, particularly his treatment of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, demonstrates that he is not a friend to democracy. *”After Trump’s treatment of Ukraine’s President Zelensky, he has shown that he is not our friend or an ally of democracy,”* the petition states. *”The tactic of trying to flatter him into doing the right thing has failed. He is not someone who should be receiving honours of any kind. The offer of a state visit should be rescinded.”*
Campaigner Zoe Jardiniere took to TikTok to promote the petition, describing the growing number of signatures as “so fun” to watch. In her video, she criticized Trump’s actions, calling him “Putin’s mouthpiece” when it comes to Ukraine. *”Trump essentially showed us that he’s nothing more than Putin’s mouthpiece when it comes to peace in Ukraine and defending the rights of the brave Ukrainian people who have been fighting for three years against awful aggression,”* she said. *”But that’s not all – we already hated Trump anyway in the UK. We hate Musk, we hate the oligarch bros – we don’t want any of that ruining our democratic systems here in the UK and across Europe.”*
The petition has resonated with many, with hundreds of TikTok users expressing their support. One commenter wrote, *”Signed. Be back in the UK in a couple of weeks and be more than happy to join any protests.”* Another suggested setting up a petition on the official parliamentary website to trigger a debate, while a third pointed out that Trump’s treatment of Canada, where King Charles is also head of state, should have been enough to disqualify him from the honor.
This is not the first time Trump’s visits to the UK have sparked controversy. In 2017, a petition to prevent his first state visit amassed a staggering 1.8 million signatures, reflecting widespread public opposition. Despite the backlash, the visit went ahead, but the current petition shows that many Brits remain deeply skeptical of Trump and his policies.
As the debate continues, the Labour government faces pressure to reconsider the invitation. With public sentiment strongly against the visit, it remains to be seen whether the King’s unprecedented gesture will ultimately be rescinded.
