Trump kicks off UK visit after rebuking May over Brexit

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US President Donald Trump landed in London on Thursday for his first visit to Britain since taking office last year. The four-day trip will include talks with British Prime Minister Theresa May, tea with Queen Elizabeth II and a private weekend in Scotland.

Later on Thursday, Trump will travel to Blenheim Palace, the 18th-century stately home where Britain's World War II leader Winston Churchill was born and spent most of his childhood.

Trump arrived in the UK after attending a NATO summit in Brussels, where he questioned whether May will deliver on UK voters' intentions when they decided to leave the European Union (EU).

US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive at Stansted Airport, Britain, July 12 2018. /Reuters Photo

Shrugging off planned mass protests against him, Trump said the British people like him a lot.

"They like me a lot in the UK. I think they agree with me on immigration," he told a news conference before flying to Stansted Airport. "I think that's why Brexit happened."

Calling Britain "a pretty hot spot right now with a lot of resignations," Trump said now the British government could be taking "a little bit of a different route" over Brexit.

Earlier on Thursday, May's government released a white paper on Brexit, which says the UK will formally ask the EU for a post-Brexit "association agreement" including a "free trade area" for goods, a looser arrangement for financial services, alongside a security partnership and continued membership of many EU agencies.

Several cabinet members have recently resigned over May's "soft" Brexit approach.

When asked about Trump's remarks, May said in Brussels: "What we are doing is delivering on the vote of the British people... that's what our proposal does."

Screenshot of the white paper entitled "The Future Relationship between the United Kingdom and the European Union" /Gov.uk Photo

Waning 'special relationship?'

Some 77 percent of Britons have an unfavorable view of Trump, according to a poll by YouGov with 1,648 respondents. The poll conducted this week said 63 percent found Trump racist, and 74 percent said he was sexist.

Mass protests have been planned in the UK during Trump's visit, with organizers promising a "carnival of resistance."

The US-UK "special relationship" has been in decline over the past two years, as Trump's retweeting of an anti-Muslim video and unpopular stances on immigration and foreign policy have angered many people in the UK, according to David A. Wemer, assistant director, editorial at the Atlantic Council think tank. He added that the ties have also been harmed by the uncertainty brought by Brexit.

Armed police are seen on the tarmac at Stansted Airport, north of London on July 12, 2018, ahead of the arrival of US President Donald Trump. /VCG Photo

Despite a series of diplomatic spats between Britain and Trump, the British government is hoping for a quick trade deal with the United States after it leaves the EU.

"There is no stronger alliance than that of our special relationship with the US and there will be no alliance more important in the years ahead," May said ahead of the visit.

But Brexit champion Nigel Farage predicted there would be a "real clash" on Brexit.

"I would love to say that I think this is going to be a hugely successful visit but I think it's going to be very difficult," he said at a pro-Trump gathering in parliament.

Trump will travel to Finnish capital Helsinki for a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin after his UK tour.

(With inputs from agencies)

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