Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

nitpicker

(7,153 posts)
Sun Jun 2, 2019, 05:08 AM Jun 2019

Royals to serve as extras in Donald Trump's victory lap of UK

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2019/jun/02/royals-extras-donald-trump-victory-lap-uk-brexit

Royals to serve as extras in Donald Trump’s victory lap of UK

US president to use state visit to promote House of Trump as he doubles down on Brexit bet

Julian Borger in Washington
Sun 2 Jun 2019 09.06 BST Last modified on Sun 2 Jun 2019 09.07 BST

Donald Trump’s state visit this week to the UK is being promoted as a celebration of a close alliance tempered through war. It could be more accurately described as a personal lap of victory for the US president, performed largely at the expense of his hosts.

Trump arrives in London having survived Robert Mueller’s last blow, a verbal recap of the special counsel’s finding that the president could neither be charged with crimes nor exonerated. The president is now on the counter-attack and may well use his visit to repeat his claim – called “utterly ridiculous” by GCHQ – that UK intelligence helped spy on his election campaign.

The rich pageantry that the British monarchy supplies will not only distract from the lingering clouds of suspicion, but send a bright red, white and blue message of reassurance to the Trump faithful that, while his domestic enemies might yap at his heels, he is still treated like royalty in foreign capitals.

“What he wants is the adulation,” said Thomas Wright, the director of the centre on the US and Europe at the Brookings Institution. “He wants the protocol and the grandeur and to be at the centre of it all. It is how he sees global diplomacy. It’s going from palace to chancellery, meeting leaders and looking the part.”

For that purpose, the UK visit could not be more perfect. On Monday, the Queen will greet Trump ceremonially in the gardens of Buckingham Palace. He will inspect a guard of honour and there will be royal gun salutes fired from Green Park and the Tower of London.

There will be afternoon tea and banquets and then, in Portsmouth, the martial grandeur of the Royal Navy.

Trump is bringing his extended family, including the heirs to his fortune and political power, Donald Jr, Eric and Ivanka. The most powerful of them, Ivanka, will attend a “business leaders” breakfast on Tuesday with her father in the company of Theresa May and the Duke of York.

The scenes will eventually be marketed by his business empire and his re-election machine in the same way: the House of Trump and the House of Windsor, the top luxury brands of their respective nations, sitting down to make deals in the most sumptuous settings.
(snip)

4 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Royals to serve as extras in Donald Trump's victory lap of UK (Original Post) nitpicker Jun 2019 OP
victory lap???? Skittles Jun 2019 #1
250, 000 protesters or more MFM008 Jun 2019 #2
The milkshake forecast... Gumboot Jun 2019 #3
Strawberry, Vanilla, Chocolate, Coffee, and Tutti Fruitti... magicarpet Jun 2019 #4

MFM008

(19,806 posts)
2. 250, 000 protesters or more
Sun Jun 2, 2019, 06:44 AM
Jun 2019

20, 000 cops.
Flying fat baby blimps
Riots.....
He will not have the sole coverage.

magicarpet

(14,145 posts)
4. Strawberry, Vanilla, Chocolate, Coffee, and Tutti Fruitti...
Sun Jun 2, 2019, 01:50 PM
Jun 2019

.... flavored milkshake splash party head to toe.

Latest Discussions»Issue Forums»Editorials & Other Articles»Royals to serve as extras...