Trump UK visit: President’s friend says banquet with Queen was a ‘love fest’

Conservative businessman describes first family as ‘American royalty’ after meeting UK monarch

One of Donald Trump’s closest friends has described the UK state banquet held in the president’s honour as a “love fest”, adding that the Queen “seemed very pleased” during the event.

Christopher Ruddy, the CEO of conservative media company Newsmax, travelled from the US with the president and attended the state dinner at Buckingham Palace on Monday.

He said the Trumps were left “so impressed” by the banquet, adding that the family were “American royalty”.

“These are folks not easily impressed,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

“Remember they have their own ballrooms and palaces and they have wonderful homes like Mar-a-Lago.

“So they are used to very high living, sort of American Royalty,” he said, according to Newsweek.

The controversial president’s visit has been met with protests, with thousands of people marching at a rally against him on Tuesday.

Mr Trump has also clashed with Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, branding him a “stone cold loser” in a series of angry tweets posted as Air Force One touched down in the UK.

The capital’s mayor dismissed the president’s insults as childish and described Mr Trump as a “poster boy of the far right movement around the world”.

Jeremy Corbyn, the leader of the Labour Party, boycotted Monday’s state banquet.

Mr Ruddy said the meal had been a “love fest”.

“[The president] was very happy and excited. [The Queen] seemed to be very pleased they were there,” he said.

The Queen’s speech at the banquet stressed the importance of international institutions, which some saw as a coded rebuke to Mr Trump who has been an outspoken critic of the UN and Nato.

But Mr Ruddy said the controversial president had enjoyed the dinner.

“This is a president that loves brands. The Queen has the greatest brand in the world, doesn’t she? I think he is just super impressed by that,” he said.