1. Trump is finding peace efforts harder than he hoped<\/p>\n
The US president re-entered office promising to end the Russia-Ukraine conflict within 24 hours, and to more generally bring peace elsewhere. For all his talk about halting six wars \u2013 it was not clear what at least two of these were \u2013 you could sense Trump\u2019s frustration at the lack of progress with both Ukraine and Gaza.<\/p>\n
He showed signs of frustration with Vladimir Putin and Benjamin Netanyahu, leaders he generally respects. As well as hinting at a swift imposition of sanctions in Russia, Trump said he was \u201cnot so interested in talking any more\u201d with the Russian leader.<\/p>\n
With Netanyahu, the tone was less openly aggrieved, but the US president made it clear that a different approach was needed given the ongoing starvation of many in Gaza. \u201cI want to make sure they get the food, every ounce of food,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
2. Starmer seems unlikely to get an easy win on trade<\/p>\n
Even though Trump and Starmer brandished a newly signed trade deal<\/a> the last time they met, at the G7 summit in Canada in June, there are numerous issues on tariffs and market access still to be decided, and Trump did not seem in the mood for giving way.<\/p>\n Asked about UK access to the US pharmaceuticals market, the president talked about wanting to \u201cbring a lot of the pharmaceuticals back to America, where they should be\u201d.Asked about exempting Scottish whisky from tariffs he dodged the question.<\/p>\n When the issue was raised of reducing tariffs on UK aluminium and steel entering the US, Trump merely said this should happen \u201cpretty soon\u201d, one of those timescales used by politicians when they either don\u2019t know or don\u2019t wish to say.<\/p>\n 3. He has views on UK politics, if not always that well-informed<\/p>\n Whereas Starmer at times appears to feel more at ease with international diplomacy than everyday politics, Trump is a creature of his domestic base, and felt quite hazy when questioned on UK issues.<\/p>\n When asked about \u201csmall boats\u201d, one of the most salient issues to British voters at the moment, Trump replied: \u201cI know nothing about the boats,\u201d with Starmer having to explain.<\/p>\n Similarly, Trump argued confidently that his host was a small-state \u201ctax cutter\u201d. Asked about a new Scottish independence referendum, Trump\u2019s main reference point was the idea that he predicted its result \u2013 when in fact this was about the EU referendum, and it wasn\u2019t a prediction<\/a> as he was speaking after the result.<\/p>\n 4. He really, really likes Starmer. And his wife.<\/p>\n Continuing the theme of all their recent encounters, Trump could hardly have been warmer about the prime minister, calling him a friend, albeit one who was \u201cslightly liberal\u201d.<\/p>\n On the subject of Victoria Starmer, to whom he has taken an apparent shine, Trump said she was \u201ca respected person all over the United States\u201d, which might be news to the PM, not to mention to his wife.<\/p>\n 5. He sometimes makes absolutely no sense<\/p>\n