The whole world saw Britain lay on the pomp and circumstance for Donald Trump last week. As UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, it was a “unique” tribute. No other US leader has been honoured with not one, but two, state visits.

Deploying the King, the Princess of Wales, the Royal Horse Artillery, Windsor Castle and Chequers was hailed as a case study in the use of “soft power”. Charles was reduced to uttering the phrase “British soil makes for rather splendid golf courses”. The things one must do for one’s country.

Without soft power, Donald Trump is left with hard men Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping.Credit: Dionne Gain

What did Britain receive in return for its transparent obsequiousness? The big noise from the government was trumpeting US investment pledges totalling £150 billion. Which could be important.

Except that London’s Financial Times tartly summarised the deals as “a familiar Downing Street tactic – adding up a series of planned commercial decisions to come up with a big number, then claiming some of the credit”.

What else? Starmer sought to persuade Trump to change his position on two major conflicts, Ukraine and Gaza. The US leader didn’t noticeably budge on either. The king and the prime minister spoke about the importance of AUKUS. Trump was noncommittal.

And Trump’s tariffs? Naturally, the British hoped Trump would offer concessions. No such luck. The 10 per cent levied on British exports to the US remain in place.

And as CNN reported: “Before Trump’s arrival, Britain had hoped that the US would scrap the 25 per cent tariff currently applied to steel exports to the US. Those plans have now been put on ice, pushing........

© Brisbane Times