The British Prime Minister has congratulated
Donald Trump who is set to be sworn in as president of the United States in Washington on Monday.
Trump is returning to the White House for a second term of four years after his initial re-election bid ended in defeat.
Trump, a Republican, will replace outgoing President Joe Biden in the top U.S. political office at noon (1900 GMT), two and a half months after defeating outgoing Vice President Kamala Harris in the U.S. presidential election.
Biden had defeated Trump in 2020, but stepped aside as the Democratic candidate mid-campaign in July amid intense concerns about his age and mental fitness.
Trump, who has long refused to acknowledge his defeat in the 2020 election, ultimately stayed away from Biden’s swearing-in ceremony in January 2021, breaking with tradition.
Earlier that month, Trump’s insistence that he won and that his “victory” was stolen from him led to the storming of the Capitol in Washington, the seat of the U.S. Congress, by his supporters.
Biden, on the other hand, is set to attend the ceremony as per tradition.
In the morning, Trump is scheduled to attend a service at St. John’s Church in Washington.
After the swearing-in ceremony, the Bidens are then set to receive the Trumps for tea at the White House.
The inauguration was originally meant to take place outside on the west side of the Capitol as usual, but was relocated indoors as Washington was experiencing stuck in sub-zero temperatures.
After taking the oath of office, Trump will deliver his inaugural speech as the 47th President of the United States of America.
British PM Starmer congratulated Trump ahead of inauguration.
He said that the so-called special relationship “will continue to flourish for years to come.”
Starmer paid tribute to the “depth of friendship” between the 47th president and the UK, and pledged to continue to “work together to ensure the success of both our countries and deliver for people on both sides of the Atlantic.”
Trump spent the eve of the inauguration at a rally, where he declared his supporters had “built a new American majority that will lead our country to success for generations to come.”
UK politicians including Nigel Farage are in the American capital ahead of the ceremonies, but questions remain over what impact the second Trump presidency will have on economies across the world if he follows through on threats to implement tariffs.
In a statement on Sunday evening, Starmer sent his congratulations to Trump.
“For centuries, the relationship between our two nations has been one of collaboration, cooperation and enduring partnership.
“It is a uniquely close bond,” the prime minister said.
“Together, we have defended the world from tyranny and worked towards our mutual security and prosperity.”
Starmer and the president-elect met in New York in September at Trump Tower, ahead of the U.S. election, and at the time the UK leader said he is a “great believer in personal relations on the international stage.”
Starmer added on Sunday: “Since our first meeting in September, the President and I have spoken about the need to deepen and invest in the transatlantic relationship.
“We will continue to build upon the unshakeable foundations of our historic alliance as we tackle together the global challenges we face and take our partnership to the next level focused on shared opportunities ahead for growth.
“I look forward to our next meeting as we continue our shared mission to ensure the peace, prosperity and security of our two great nations.
“The special relationship between the United Kingdom and United States will continue to flourish for years to come.”
