‘We genuinely like each other’: Starmer talks up personal ties with Trump as he braces for potentially explosive Chequers press conference – with Mandelson, free speech and Gaza among the hazards

Keir Starmer talked up his personal ties with Donald Trump today as he braces for potential ‘truth bombs’ at a joint press conference.

The PM said the leaders ‘genuinely like each other’ as they oversaw a business reception at Chequers – with huge investment being announced as part of a tech deal.

Mr Trump said the relationship between the nations was an ‘unbreakable bond’ and ‘priceless’. 

The US president’s State Visit has turned to politics after a first day focused on pomp and ceremony at Windsor.

Although Mr Trump has appeared determined not to do anything to discomfort his hosts so far, a slew of awkward issues could arise when the leaders face the media this afternoon.

The sacking of US ambassador Lord Mandelson over his emails to Jeffrey Epstein, American concerns about free speech in the UK, and the situation in Gaza are all likely flashpoints.

Sir Keir might not be assisted by Mr Trump’s love of long, free-form exchanges with the media. 

Earlier, the pair shook hands warmly on the steps of the PM’s country residence after Mr Trump pulled up in his armoured limousine known as ‘The Beast’. 

An honour guard of RAF personnel from nearby RAF Halton and two RAF bagpipers were on hand to greet him, while Sir Keir’s wife Lady Victoria also came to the door.

At a Royal banquet last night after a day of red-carpet treatment, the president described his second State Visit to the UK as ‘one of the highest honours of my life’. 

The King saw Mr Trump off from Windsor this morning, before he travelled by helicopter to Chequers. First Lady Melania has remained with the Royals for a separate visit. 

Sir Keir will be keen to keep eyes on pledges of US investment into the UK, after a £150billion announcement overnight by huge firms including Blackstone and Palantir.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves will host a business reception in Downing Street for bosses at top US and UK financial firms, including BlackRock, Barclays and Blackstone in a bid to highlight Transatlantic econonomic cooperation.

Sir Keir and Mr Trump also plan to sign a technology prosperity deal at the Buckinghamshire estate.

The PM will present the US leader with a bespoke ministerial red box styled to take back to the White House, as well as showing him items from the Churchill archives.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will also have face-to-face talks at Chequers.

However, there are still questions about what the US might want in return – after a push to water down the UK’s digital services tax.

Hopes Sir Keir could deliver on his boast to have eliminated Mr Trump’s ‘beautiful’ tariffs on steel imports from Britain have also been dashed. No agreement is thought to have been reached on that element.

Downing Street is braced for a barrage of questions about what Sir Keir knew about Lord Mandelson’s relationship with notorious paedophile Epstein.

The subject is particularly sensitive because of Mr Trump’s travails over his own relationship with Epstein.

One Whitehall source said: ‘The PM does not want to talk about Mandelson at all, let alone Epstein, and everyone is acutely aware that Trump doesn’t want to talk about Epstein either.

‘But there are obviously going to be questions and trying to answer them in a way that does not aggravate Trump is a nightmare prospect. The whole thing looks very fraught.’

Sir Keir has been facing Labour fury after publicly backing Lord Mandelson to stay on, before sacking him the following day.

In an interview on Monday the premier appeared to blame his staff for failing to brief him properly on the extent of Lord Mandelson’s relationship with Epstein, whom the former ambassador once described as his ‘best pal’.

But he failed to explain why he had not sought more information after Lord Mandelson publicly warned there were more ‘very embarrassing’ details to emerge.