Sir Keir Starmer declined to keep a “special edition” £140 bottle of whisky presented to him by Donald Trump during their meeting at the US President’s Turnberry golf resort last month, official records have revealed.
The Prime Minister left the luxury liquor with the Cabinet Office rather than pay the difference to keep it, according to the Register of Ministers’ Gifts and Hospitality for July 2025, raising eyebrows ahead of Trump’s unprecedented second State Visit to the UK next month.
The diplomatic gift exchange occurred when Starmer met Trump at his Ayrshire golf club in July, where the leaders discussed the “special relationship”, Middle East tensions and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine before travelling together aboard Air Force One to another Trump resort in Aberdeenshire.
Under UK government rules, when a gift exceeds £140 in value, ministers can choose whether to pay the difference between the gift’s value and £140 to keep the item, or leave it with their department, the Register of Ministers’ Gifts and Hospitality revealed that Sir Keir chose the latter option.
The decision comes as preparations intensify for Trump’s historic return to Windsor Castle between 17 and 19 September, making him the first American Commander-in-Chief to receive two full State Visits to Britain.
The Register also disclosed that whilst declining Trump’s whisky, the Prime Minister presented the Turnberry Hotel with a golf club and book during his July visit. Earlier this year, Sir Keir received a book and tie from French President Emmanuel Macron, while Lady Victoria Starmer was given a leather wallet by Brigitte Macron.
The timing of the gift revelation is particularly notable given Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey’s announcement that he will boycott Trump’s State Banquet at Windsor Castle in protest over Gaza policy. Boycotting the banquet is the one way I can send a message to Donald Trump and Keir Starmer that they can’t close their eyes and wish this away,” Davey declared.
Shadow Foreign Secretary Dame Priti Patel condemned Davey’s planned boycott as “an act of deep disrespect to His Majesty the King” and “appalling judgment”, suggesting Reform UK leader Nigel Farage could occupy the empty chair.
Trump’s first State Visit in June 2019 saw him hosted by the late Queen Elizabeth II, with then-Prime Minister Theresa May accompanying him at Number 10. The upcoming September visit will see the President and First Lady Melania Trump return to Windsor Castle, which is hosting state occasions whilst Buckingham Palace undergoes renovations.
It’s a great, great honor,” Trump said when Starmer hand-delivered King Charles’s invitation at the White House in February. “That’s really something,” he added upon learning he would stay at Windsor Castle.
The July meeting at Turnberry provided the latest example of how Trump uses presidential power to promote his family businesses. The US government paid £55,000 ($68,800) to Trump’s Turnberry resort in 2018 during a similar visit in his first term, according to reports.
During the Scottish summit, Trump promoted his course on Truth Social, sharing praise from retired professional Golfer Gary Player: “Turnberry is, without a question, in the Top Five Greatest Golf Courses I’ve ever played in my 73 years as a Pro.
The diplomatic significance of the whisky gift cannot be overlooked, particularly as Trump had indicated he would “take a look” at whisky tariffs during the Turnberry meeting. The 10 per cent tariff on UK whisky exports to the US costs the industry £4 million weekly, with First Minister John Swinney pledging to raise the issue directly with Trump.
I think Trump, in commenting on Khan, is completely out of order,” one protester said during Trump’s 2019 visit, referencing the President’s feud with London Mayor Sadiq Khan. Similar protests are expected for the September visit.
The unprecedented nature of a second State Visit breaks with tradition, as second-term US presidents typically receive only tea or lunch invitations at Windsor Castle, as was the case for George W. Bush and Barack Obama.
King Charles will host Trump at Windsor Castle alongside Queen Camilla, though unlike Emmanuel Macron’s recent visit, Trump will not address Parliament as the visit coincides with the legislature’s recess – a scheduling that The Telegraph reported “risks a backlash from the US president.
Security considerations mean Trump is unlikely to enjoy the carriage procession through Windsor that Macron received. I just cannot see the Secret Service allowing it to happen,” royal author Ingrid Seward told reporters.
Farage, who attended Trump’s Turnberry visit for GB News, admitted their relationship has become “awkward” due to Reform UK’s rise in opinion polls. “I’m in a slightly awkward position now, or he’s in a slightly awkward position with me,” the Clacton MP stated.
As preparations continue for what Trump calls a “fest” – his term for the State Visit – the revelation about the rejected whisky gift adds an intriguing diplomatic footnote to Anglo-American relations under Starmer’s premiership.
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Image Credit:
Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets US President Donald Trump (18 August 2025) — photo by Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street, taken in Washington, D.C. on 18 August 2025. Licensed under the [United Kingdom Open Government Licence v3.0 (OGL 3.0)], as it is Crown copyright and specifically made available for reuse under that license.
1 comment
Davy is the only person who comes out of this with clean hands. I’ll vote for him next time.
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