Forget the pageantry. Trump’s UK state visit should focus on trade, tech | Opinion
Wednesday marks the beginning of President Donald Trump’s historic second state visit to the United Kingdom complete with the royal pomp and pageantry that Britain delivers like no other nation.
Beyond the spectacle of Windsor Castle banquets with King Charles and ceremonial guards, however, lies a more substantive opportunity. As Trump sits down with Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government the discussions on trade, business and technology could shape the trajectory of the world’s most enduring alliance.
As a British entrepreneur living in Florida who has spent the past six years building businesses across the Atlantic, I’ve witnessed first-hand how the U.K.-U.S. relationship operates at the coalface of commerce.
This state visit represents more than diplomatic courtesy; it’s a chance to reinforce the economic foundations that make our partnership genuinely special.
The depth of our shared history cannot be understated. It’s remarkable how swiftly Britain and America transformed from colonial master and rebellious colony into allies. King George III’s gracious words after American independence — that he would “be the first to meet the friendship of the United States as an independent power” — set a tone of pragmatic reconciliation that endures today.
Winston Churchill later crystallized this bond in 1946, coining the term “special relationship” in the aftermath of our joint triumph over Nazi Germany. The links have grown post-WWII and the royal family have played a key role, which is why I was a partner on a photographic exhibition at the Foreign Office, about the royals’ relationship with the U.S. Yet history alone doesn’t sustain modern partnerships. What makes the U.K.-U.S. relationship vital today is its economic engine and this is where the real work of the state visit must focus.
Business and trade remain the lynchpin of our transatlantic cooperation. The numbers tell the story: Total trade between our nations reaches about $400 billion, with 69% of U.K. exports to America consisting of services, a testament to Britain’s comparative advantage in finance, consulting and creative industries. More striking still, the U.K. and U.S. are each other’s largest investors with over $1.5 trillion flowing between our economies in 2023 alone.
This investment creates tangible human connections. Some 1.5 million Britons work for American companies while over 1.2 million Americans are employed by British firms.
The Trump administration’s approach to tariffs presents challenges. However, the U.K.’s lower baseline tariff rate compared to the European Union, 10% versus 15%, may offer competitive advantages as global trade patterns adjust.
Technology cooperation offers perhaps the most exciting frontier for U.K.-US collaboration. While American tech giants dominate global markets and cities like Miami post staggering 28.5% annual ecosystem growth rates, Britain’s tech sector punches well above its weight.
The U.K. tech ecosystem reached approximately $1.2 trillion in valuation during the first half of 2025, making it Europe’s largest.
These investments could catalyze British innovation while providing American companies with access to our world-class universities, regulatory frameworks and English-speaking talent pool.
Our educational exchanges further cement these bonds. Over 13,000 American students study in Britain while more than 10,000 British students pursue degrees in America.
The state visit also provides an opportunity to highlight programs that embody our shared values. The King’s Trust’s expansion into the U.S., helping young people from disadvantaged backgrounds start businesses or find employment, represents exactly the kind of initiative that gives substance to diplomatic rhetoric. I was helped by the trust to start my own business in the 1990s, I understand how such programs can transform individual lives while strengthening broader economic ties.
Trump’s state visit should be measured not by the grandeur of its ceremonies but by the practical cooperation it enables. The pomp and pageantry matter because they signal respect but the real success will be measured in enhanced trade flows, deeper investment partnerships and accelerated technological collaboration.
For the sake of global stability and prosperity, the U.K.-U.S. friendship must remain both special and strong. This state visit offers the perfect platform to ensure it does.
Mike Welch is a U.K.-born and Florida-residing serial tire entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is the founder and leader of Treadsy and sits on the advisory board of King’s Trust USA.