U.S. Vice President JD Vance has arrived in the UK for a working visit with Foreign Secretary David Lammy, as political tensions and protests loom over U.S. foreign policy.
JD Vance began his visit on Friday with a meeting at Chevening, the official residence of Foreign Secretary David Lammy, where the two are expected to discuss the crises in Ukraine and Gaza, as well as trade issues.
The visit comes at a time of heightened transatlantic tensions and scrutiny of Vance’s foreign policy stance, including past remarks criticising Britain’s Labour government. In a previous interview, he described the UK as “maybe” the first “truly Islamist” country with nuclear weapons and accused it of curbing religious liberties.
Lammy, who once called Donald Trump a “neo-Nazi,” has downplayed past rhetoric, and officials say the two men have formed a cordial relationship, bonding over shared faith and challenging upbringings. Lammy visited Vance’s Washington residence for Mass in March, and the pair met again in Rome in May at the inaugural Mass of Pope Leo XIV.
Vance is accompanied by his wife, Usha, and their three children. They are due to stay in the Cotswolds following the official programme, which includes cultural visits and a meeting with U.S. troops.
The bilateral meeting on Friday does not have a formal agenda, but British officials hope to present the UK’s perspective on global conflicts without escalating differences. “They’re not looking for conflict,” said Bronwen Maddox of Chatham House, noting the UK’s satisfaction with a recent trade deal with the Trump administration.
Vance’s visit follows former President Trump’s recent trip to Scotland, during which he met British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to finalise a 15% tariff deal on European goods. Trump is scheduled for a full state visit to the UK in September.
Vance is expected to face demonstrations in the coming days from a coalition of trade unions, pro-Palestinian groups and climate activists, echoing similar protests during his winter holiday in Vermont.
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