Traveling across the pond is definitely a part of the president's job, but not every experience is the same. Well, Obama's versus Trump's first U.K. visit proves that case and point. Usually when Britain's highest officials cross paths with U.S. presidents, it's for business. However, that doesn't mean these two world powers can't have some fun every time and again. Well, sometimes.
The Trumps' visit with the queen began with a formal presentation of the British Army, complete with a playing of the U.S. national anthem. The band also played a medley of American military anthems. President Trump and Queen Elizabeth did an "inspection" of the military members, appearing to chat as they walked.
On July 12, Donald Trump arrived in the United Kingdom to meet with quite a few important Brits during his two-day stay. Not only has Trump sat down with Prime Minister Theresa May, but he also plans to meet with Queen Elizabeth at Windsor Castle. Naturally, this was a huge deal for the United States leader, and one could only hope that he was on his best behavior. Even though Trump's first U.K. visit isn't considered "state" matters, that doesn't mean that first impressions are any less important. There are so many different factors that can impact an important visit, including a president's personality, whether he's liked by the public, the presence of the first lady, and sometimes even something as minuscule as the arrival date has proven itself key.
So without further ado, enjoy a walk down memory lane and ruthlessly compare the differences between Barack Obama and Donald Trump's first visit to the United Kingdom.
Even if you don't believe in luck, you can't deny that Friday the 13th is a tense day for most. I don't know about y'all, but I like spending the unluckiest day of the year tucked away where absolutely nothing can go wrong for 24 hours. Well, unfortunately for Donald Trump he didn't have that luxury. News that Donald Trump would be visiting the U.K. stirred up a reaction among English citizens as is, but once it was revealed that Trump's visit in the United Kingdom would land on July 13, aka Friday the 13th, none of us could ignore the irony. At first we all thought that the president would be arriving on the dreaded date, but since he actually landed on July 12, it looks like he might have dodged some misfortunate there.
So yes, planning a visit to the U.K. exactly on Friday the 13th probably isn't the greatest omen to start with. Plus, compared to Barack Obama's U.K. visit on March 31, 2009, it's safe to say that the former president already had luck on his side.
Since news broke that Trump would be visiting the U.K. for a quick two-day visit, U.K. residents were exactly thrilled. Trump has only just landed in the United Kingdom as a part of his international tour, and instead of being greeted with kisses and flowers he was met with protests. Honestly, classic. Elite Daily reached out to the White House for comment on the London protests at the time, but did not hear back.
Let's be real, it's not really that surprising. Time and time again Trump's proven he's a controversial president. His recent attacks on NATO members during the summit in Belgium a few days ago just further pushed the nation's buttons.
This is quite a difference from Barack Obama's first trip to the U.K. as president. The former FLOTUS certainly had his share of criticizers, but at least he didn't have to deal with mass protests from U.K. citizens.
The title of first lady must come with a lot of pressure, especially when you're coming face to face with another powerful woman. Queen Elizabeth may not smile all the time, but when she does you can tell it comes from the heart.
And that's exactly wheat she did when greeting Melania on Friday, which she did with a big smile. Melania Trump followed then protocol when meeting Queen Elizabeth, keeping a respectful distance (touching the queen is a no-no) and smiling politely in greeting her.
During the Obama's first U.K. visit as a presidential family, Michelle Obama shocked everyone when her quick side hug to the Queen was reciprocated by the monarch herself. Tell me what it takes to get a quick hug from Queen Elizabeth. Please. I'll do anything.
Every new president brings a new U.K. visit. Time will only tell if Trump will be able to enjoy another cup of tea in the future.
