Donald Trump said he ‘loves’ the UK after he arrived in London ahead of his second state visitNew ‘tech prosperity deal’ will see UK and US co-operate in areas including artificial intelligence, quantum computing and nuclear power
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the agreement represented “a general step change” in Britain’s relationship with the US that would deliver “growth, security and opportunity up and down the country”.
The “tech prosperity deal”, announced as Mr Trump arrived in the UK on Tuesday night, will see the UK and US co-operate in areas including artificial intelligence (AI), quantum computing and nuclear power.
An image of U.S. President Donald Trump is projected on Windsor castle, after U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrival for a state visit to the country, in Windsor, Berkshire, Britain September 16, 2025. REUTERS/Phil Noble
It comes alongside £31 (€35.7) billion of investment in Britain from America’s top technology companies, including 30 billion dollars (€25.33 billion) from Microsoft.
Microsoft’s investment, the largest ever made by the company in the UK, will fund an expansion of Britain’s AI infrastructure, which Labour sees as a key part of its efforts to secure economic growth, and the construction of the country’s largest AI supercomputer.
Brad Smith, vice chairman and president of the firm, said it had “many conversations” with the UK Government, including No 10, “every month”, adding that the investment would have been “inconceivable because of the regulatory climate” in previous years.
“You don’t spend £22 billion unless you have confidence in where the country, the government and the market are all going,” he said.
“And this reflects that level of confidence.”
An image of U.S. President Donald Trump alongside disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein is projected on Windsor castle, after U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrival for a state visit to the country, in Windsor, Berkshire, Britain September 16, 2025. REUTERS/Phil Noble
Microsoft is backing tech firm Nscale to contribute towards developing a major data centre in the UK, which the company said would help build out Britain’s cloud and AI infrastructure.
Asked how much electricity capacity would be required for the build-out and how this would be supplied, Mr Smith said: “We already have the contracts in place for the power that will be needed for the investments that we’re announcing here.”
Officials said the investment enabled by the tech partnership could speed up development of new medicines and see collaboration on research in areas such as space exploration and defence.
Mr Starmer said: “This tech prosperity deal marks a generational step change in our relationship with the US, shaping the futures of millions of people on both sides of the Atlantic, and delivering growth, security and opportunity up and down the country.”
The build-up to Mr Trump’s second state visit has already seen London and Washington announce a deal on co-operating on building new nuclear power stations, and a £5 (€5.76) billion investment by Google in Britain’s AI sector.
It also follows the agreement of an economic deal in May this year that covered a reduction in some tariffs imposed by Mr Trump in April, although plans to eliminate US tariffs on British steel have now been shelved.
It emerged on the eve of Mr Trump’s visit that a proposed deal to secure the removal of the levy, which stands at 25pc, has been put on ice.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the US-UK tech deal was “a vote of confidence in Britain’s booming AI sector” that would “deliver good jobs, life-saving treatments and faster medical breakthroughs”.
The deal was also praised by tech bosses, including Jensen Huang, founder of chip company Nvidia, which has agreed to deploy 120,000 advanced processors across the UK to help the British AI sector.
Mr Huang said: “Today marks a historic chapter in US-United Kingdom technology collaboration.
“We are at the Big Bang of the AI era – and the United Kingdom stands in a Goldilocks position, where world-class talent, research and industry converge.”
A man in a Union Jack suit takes a selfie outside Windsor Castle ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump’s arrival, in Windsor, Britain, September 17, 2025. REUTERS/Phil Noble
Other investments announced alongside the tech deal include:
£1.5 billion from AI cloud computing company CoreWeave to expand data centre capacity and operations, including a partnership with UK firm DataVita£1.4 billion from Salesforce, aimed at making its UK business an AI hub for Europe, part of a £4.4 billion investment over the next five yearsMore than £1 billion from UK-based AI Pathfinder to deliver additional compute capacity, starting in NorthamptonshireVisit
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump hailed the UK as a “very special place” ahead of the first full day of his historic second state visit.
Mr Trump landed at London Stansted airport on Air Force One on Tuesday evening before taking the Marine One helicopter to Winfield House in Regent’s Park, central London, where he spent the night.
The US president told reporters on Tuesday evening he “loves” the UK.
U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump are greeted by Viscount Henry Hood, representing Britain’s King Charles, as they arrive for their state visit to Britain, at London Stansted Airport near London, Britain, September 16, 2025. REUTERS/Chris Radburn
“I have a lot of things here that warm my heart,” he said. “I want to tell you. It’s a very special place.”
The American leader is being feted with a stay in Windsor Castle, where he will be hosted by Britain’s King Charles and treated to a ceremonial welcome on Wednesday and later, a lavish state banquet.
Security will be paramount, with Mr Trump confined to the private Windsor estate on the first full day, before heading to the prime minister’s country residence Chequers on Thursday.
Prince William and his wife Kate, the Prince and Princess of Wales, will play a key role in entertaining the president, who is known for his love of the royal family, and First Lady Melania Trump.
William and Kate will meet the American couple in the grounds of the Windsor estate on Wednesday.
The Queen – who spent Tuesday afternoon resting at Windsor Castle, having pulled out of attending the Duchess of Kent’s funeral on Tuesday after suffering from acute sinusitis – is said to be hopeful she will recover in time to attend the busy run of royal events including the glittering banquet.
William and Kate are expected to escort Mr and Mrs Trump a short distance to see the King and Queen for an open air greeting nearby.
The proceedings are aimed at extending a personal, family-centred welcome to the Trumps ahead of the official ceremony in the castle quadrangle after a carriage ride through private Home Park.
U.S. President Donald Trump is greeted by Viscount Henry Hood, representing Britain’s King Charles, as he arrives for his state visit to Britain, at London Stansted Airport near London, Britain, September 16, 2025. REUTERS/Chris Radburn
There are no public-facing engagements for the president throughout his visit, with thousands expected to take part in a major protest against his stay in central London on Wednesday.
A small group of campaigners from the Stop Trump Coalition were in Windsor on Tuesday evening protesting against the US president’s visit, and later two protesters from the activist group Fossil Free London were escorted out of a dinner organised by Republicans Overseas UK in the Berkshire town.
U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper as he and U.S. first lady Melania Trump arrive for their state visit to Britain, at London Stansted Airport near London, Britain, September 16, 2025. REUTERS/Chris Radburn
The man and woman chanted “how many will you kill if you drill baby drill” and unfurled a banner that said: “Oily Money Kills” at the event in Windsor Guildhall.
Thames Valley Police said the pair were removed by the event organisers and no arrests were made.
Police officers stand on duty at Windsor Castle, on the day of the state visit of U.S. President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump to the UK, in Windsor, Britain, September 17, 2025. REUTERS/Phil Noble
The force said it arrested four people on suspicion of malicious communications after images of the US President and paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein were projected onto Windsor Castle, and two men for breaching airspace restrictions in place for Mr Trump’s visit.
The mayor of London Sadiq Khan, who has previously been criticised by Mr Trump as “a nasty person” who has “done a terrible job” said on Tuesday night that “President Donald Trump and his coterie have perhaps done the most to fan the flames of divisive, far-right politics around the world in recent years”.
U.S. President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump are welcomed by Viscount Henry Hood upon arrival at London Stansted Airport for a state visit to Britain, near London, Britain, September 16, 2025. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque
Writing in the Guardian, Mr Sadiq added: “We must also tell President Trump and his supporters to stop talking down and denigrating our great capital city. London is a global success story, no matter how much he wants to pretend otherwise. It’s open, dynamic and safer than every US state in terms of homicide rates.”
File photo dated 16/09/25 of a Stop Trump Scotland protest outside the US Consulate in Edinburgh, during President Donald Trump’s five-day private trip to the country. Jane Barlow/PA Wire
The Metropolitan Police said it is preparing for “a significant operation” with as many as 50 protest groups expected to take part in Wednesday’s march in central London.
US President Donald Trump, Queen Elizabeth II, Melania Trump, the then Prince of Wales and the then Duchess of Cornwall, during a group photo ahead of a State Banquet in 2019 at Buckingham Palace, London. Jeff Gilbert/Daily Telegraph/PA Wire
More than 1,600 officers will be deployed on Wednesday, including 500 assisting from other forces, Scotland Yard said.
File photo dated 16/09/25 of a view of a State Banquet at Windsor Castle, Berkshire. Donald Trump will be wined and dined at a sumptuous white tie state banquet in Windsor Castle on Wednesday evening. Aaron Chown/PA Wire
File photo dated 16/09/25 of adjustments being made to table decorations for a State Banquet at Windsor Castle, Berkshire. Donald Trump will be wined and dined at a sumptuous white tie state banquet in Windsor Castle on Wednesday evening. Aaron Chown/PA Wire