Donald Trump was en route to London tonight with his wife Melania and huge security detail after boarding Air Force One ahead of tomorrow’s Nato summit.
The US President’s visit will be his third official trip to Britain during his time at the White House and comes just ten days before the UK General Election.
Mr Trump made the short trip on Marine One from the White House to Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland before he boarded Air Force One bound for London.
It comes amid speculation he could wade into the election campaign, with all of the major political parties braced for a potential bombshell intervention this week.
US President Donald Trump boards Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland today as he leaves Washington for Britain ahead of the Nato summit due to begin tomorrow
Mr Trump and First Lady Melania Trump walk to board Air Force One in Maryland today
Mr Trump tweeted a video of take-off and referred to the House impeachment report on him which will be unveiled in the US today behind closed doors for key politicians
He tweeted a take-off video, writing: ‘Heading to Europe to represent our country and fight hard for the American people while the Do Nothing Democrats purposely scheduled an impeachment hoax hearing on the same date as Nato. Not nice!’
Mr Trump was referring to the House impeachment report on him which will be unveiled in the US today behind closed doors for key politicians.
Democrats are pushing ahead with the inquiry despite the White House’s declaration it will not participate in the first Judiciary Committee hearing.
Democrats claim the report will speak for itself over what they called the evidence of ‘wrongdoing and misconduct’ by the Republican over his actions towards Ukraine.
Mr Trump waves as he boards Air Force One today for a flight to London to attend the summit
Mr Trump waves as he walks towards Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base this morning
Mr Trump walks to Marine One after speaking with reporters at the White House this morning
It comes as Nigel Farage warned UK politicians not to demonise Mr Trump as he claimed it would be a ‘great mistake’ to alienate him during his visit to Britain.
Mr Trump has previously expressed concern about the cost of Nato and has been unhappy at how much the other 28 members contribute.
In his State of the Union address earlier this year, he said that the US had been ‘treated very unfairly by friends of ours, members of Nato’ over a period of years.
During his presidential campaign he called the alliance ‘obsolete’ and criticised other members whose security he thought was being subsidised by the States.
However, he has since U-turned on that stance, to the relief of many, saying: ‘I said it was obsolete. It’s no longer obsolete.’
The two-day Nato summit will take place tomorrow and on Wednesday at the Grove Hotel in Chandler’s Cross on the outskirts of the Hertfordshire town of Watford.
Mr Trump is joined by wife Melania as he walks to board Marine One at the White House today
The Jefferson Memorial is visible as Mr Trump leaves the White House on Marine One today
The President is set to visit Buckingham Palace for a reception tomorrow, before he joins world leaders at the golf resort near Watford the following day.
Mr Trump undertook a state visit to the UK between June 3 and 5 this year having visited for the first time as US President back in July 2018.
He remains a divisive figure in British politics and last night Mr Farage defended his ally as the Brexit Party leader took part in a seven-way ITV election debate.
Mr Farage came to Mr Trump’s defence after Liberal Democrat leader Jo Swinson said that while the special relationship is important she did not believe Mr Trump shared British values.
Nigel Farage, pictured on the ITV election debate last night with the Tories’ Rishi Sunak (left) and Plaid Cymru’s Adam Price (right), said it would be a ‘great mistake’ to demonise Mr Trump
Mr Farage clashed with Jo Swinson (pictured right) over how the UK should treat Mr Trump
Pointing to previous comments made by the US President about sexually assaulting women, Ms Swinson added: ‘The last thing we should have done is to roll out the red carpet for a state visit.’
But Mr Farage, who interviewed Mr Trump on his LBC radio show at the end of October, said that while some of the US President’s comments were wrong, it was essential to consider the national interest in maintaining links with the US.
He said: ‘It was crass and it was crude and it was wrong – men say dreadful things sometimes.
‘If all of us were called out for what we did on a night out after a drink, none of us would…’
At that point he was interrupted by Ms Swinson who said: ‘Is that what you do on a night out after a drink?’
Police outside The Grove hotel near Watford in Hertfordshire today ahead of the Nato summit
Police outside The Grove hotel today which will host the Nato summit over the next few days
Police on motorbikes outside The Grove today as preparations are stepped up for the visit
Mr Farage replied: ‘He is President of the USA and that relationship matters.
‘You are so anti-American you are prepared to put your hatred of Trump above our national interest. That is a great mistake.’
Plaid Cymru leader Adam Price said Mr Farage was wrong to defend the US President.
He said: ‘It can never be acceptable for a man to talk about grabbing a woman’s p***y. If you think it is you should be ashamed of yourself.’
A large temporary structure at The Grove hotel in Hertfordshire can be seen today
Security at The Grove in Hertfordshire today ahead of the Nato leaders’ meeting this week
A sign warning drivers of delays near The Grove hotel in Hertfordshire is pictured today
Meanwhile, Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon claimed Boris Johnson was trying to pursue the same ‘strong man’ tactics of the US president.
She said: ‘Donald Trump’s attitudes are wrong and they are dangerous. In Boris Johnson we have got somebody who is trying to be like him.’
But Tory Chief Secretary to the Treasury Rishi Sunak said that the relationship with the US was essential to Britain’s national security and should not be denigrated.
‘The relationship we have with America is incredibly important for keeping us safe,’ he said.
