I was in Scotland during the Queen’s Speech to Parliament and was surprised that the only planned state visit in July she mentioned was that of King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain with no mention of President Trump’s visit. The British press was quick to highlight Trump’s “snub” in favor of a visit to France on July 14 to celebrate Bastille Day.
Prime Minister Theresa May invited President Trump on behalf of the Queen when she met him in Washington DC in January, just a week after his inauguration – an invitation he accepted. Although no date was fixed, it was widely believed it would take place this summer during the G20 summit.
The press was quick to jump to the conclusion that Trump passed over a state visit out of fear of the large-scale street protests that would greet him and the related security concerns.
The “snub” headlines were soon replaced by Trump’s “secret golf trip to UK.” News that Trump was planning a quick visit to one of his golf courses in Scotland while in Europe to attend the G20 summit in Germany, visit Poland, and France to celebrate Bastille Day, spread like wildfire. The fact that he would only confirm his UK visit 24 hours in advance and may also drop in on Downing Street was greeted by howls of dismay and renewed threats of mass protests.
Trump is anything but cowardly. His visit to Germany, knowing full well of the mass protests awaiting him there, his confrontations with the media and his opponents clearly demonstrate that. Secretive, he is. He said he would be during the presidential campaign. Besides, he has a myriad of legal and legislative battles on his hands in Washington. Having said that, he still should have visited Britain, not to play golf, but visit Downing Street, Parliament and the Queen.
As a London born American, watching President Trump celebrate Bastille Day in France, instead of a state visit to Britain as originally planned, was disheartening – but understandable.
The troubled cross-Atlantic U.S.-Britain relationship is a “special relationship” underpinned by much more than strategic interests. It is based on ties of culture, ideas, language and history I wrote in Custom Maid Knowledge for New World Disorder. The American-British alliance is one I discuss at length in the book and one that must continue to endure and survive the 21st-century.
Churchill and Roosevelt highlighted the bond and relationship between their two countries during World War II. Abraham Lincoln and Prime Minister William Gladstone had a very high regard for each other as America was convulsing itself to get rid of slavery.
The idea that no monarch should be able to rule arbitrarily and that there had to be accountability, was actually British, and the American Revolution was built around that idea.
Both sides in the American War of Independence claimed to be basing their case on the idea of liberty. “So the values that Britain and America hold in common are essentially part of the same intellectual tradition,” said British Prime Minister Gordon Brown shortly after taking office in 2007.
Granted France, whose Bastille Day celebration also celebrates liberty and equality, supported America during its War of Independence from Britain, but that is not enough of a reason to snub Britain in favor of France.
America, like Britain, has numerous political and economic differences with Europe, especially France. That is why watching President Trump celebrate Bastille Day that featured U.S. troops march along the Champ-Elysees to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the U.S. entry into World War One, instead of the many American-British military alliances, especially during World War Two and over the years to today, was disconcerting.
Britain and America have to get their historical ties back on track if their alliance is to survive the 21st-century. Isn’t a more robust bilateral transatlantic alliance with the country that gave birth to America and a historically reliable ally preferable to trying to sustain and salvage the frazzled hostile multilateral European alliance lead by France and Germany? This is especially true now that China – America’s main challenger to global supremacy — has discarded its treaty with Britain that returned Hong Kong to the motherland. China announced on July 4 that the 1984 Sino-British joint Declaration was a “historical document that no longer has any realistic meaning.”
America and Britain need each other now more than ever if they are to contain and restrain China. Yes, “America First,” but reliable parent and historical ally “Britain Second.”