It has been reported by several sources that President Donald Trump's planned visit to Britain puts Queen Elizabeth in an awkward position. First of all, the 90-year-old ruler normally does not meet with heads of state so soon into their tenure. Trump allegedly has accepted an invitation for a state visit as early as June. Secondly, the invitation came just before Trump announced his ban on immigration from seven predominantly Muslim countries which has prompted international backlash. Trump's state visit allegedly will be an embarrassment to Queen Elizabeth -- who is expected to be the host for the formal visit with all the pomp and circumstance.
Many people are concluding that he definitely should not have been invited so soon, if at all.
After two years
It is acceptable for United States Presidents to visit the United Kingdom within a few months of entering office, but state visits that come with meeting the royal family should come much later. Usually presidents meet the royal family after they have been in office for at least two years. Former President Obama was in office 28 months before he went on a state visit. Former President George W. Bush had been in office 32 months before he visited the royals. Based on that protocol, it is too soon for President Trump to go on a state visit five months from now.
How Trump was invited
Prime Minister Theresa May said in a press conference on Tuesday that she invited President Trump to visit when she was at the White House last week.
Prime Minister May is sticking by her invitation and thinks it should stand. Lord Ricketts, a former secretary at the Foreign Office, questioned the timing of the visit. He didn't think the newly elected president deserved the honor so soon. He added that it would have been better to wait to see what kind of president Trump would be.
He concluded that the Queen has been put in a very difficult position.
Petition to stop Trump's state visit
More than 1.6 million signatures are on a petition for Parliament to stop Trump's state visit. Only 10,000 signatures were required for this to be considered in Parliament. However, a counter-petition to allow Trump's state visit has 120,000 signatures. Therefore, people are divided about the early state visit.
