The United States and the United Kingdom are set to unveil key agreements in technology and civil nuclear energy as U.S. President Donald Trump embarks on his second state visit to Britain this week.
The visit, occurring on Wednesday, will feature elaborate royal ceremonies including a carriage procession, a state banquet, a military flypast, and a ceremonial gun salute.
Accompanying Trump and First Lady Melania will be prominent tech executives such as Nvidia's Jensen Huang, OpenAI's Sam Altman, and Blackstone's Stephen Schwarzman, highlighting the commercial stakes involved.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer will host Trump at Chequers on Thursday to advance discussions on global issues like Ukraine and to secure finalization of reduced tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.
A spokesperson for Starmer announced that the leaders will ink a pioneering technology partnership focused on artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and space exploration, alongside multi-billion-dollar initiatives for small modular nuclear reactors to support emerging AI data centers.
These efforts aim to elevate the UK-US alliance, described by the spokesperson as the world's strongest, through enhanced research, procurement, and skills development.
The nuclear deal will expedite reactor approvals and includes plans for powering data centers at sites like the former Cottam coal station in Nottinghamshire.
Prior to Trump's arrival, Britain revealed over 1.25 billion pounds in U.S. investments from firms including PayPal and Bank of America, with further commitments expected from Nvidia, OpenAI, and cloud provider CoreWeave, particularly in a major data center project in Blyth, northeast England.
However, the visit's preparations face hurdles following Starmer's recent dismissal of U.S. ambassador Peter Mandelson due to his past associations with Jeffrey Epstein, creating an awkward backdrop.
Additional announcements will cover cultural exchanges, such as promoting basketball in Britain and fostering ties between heritage institutions.
While the pacts emphasize countering global competitors like China, experts caution about potential over-reliance on U.S. technology, urging a balance between immediate gains and long-term sovereignty.