Donald Trump set to confront Keir Starmer over immigration at G7 summit

Donald Trump plans to challenge Sir Keir Starmer on immigration when the G7 summit convenes this week, according to White House sources who confirmed the American president's intentions.

The confrontation follows violent disorder in Belfast after an alleged attempted beheading drew international attention, with European diplomats fearing Mr Trump would use the incident to demand stronger action on migration.

A 30-year-old Sudanese asylum seeker, Hadi Alodid, was remanded in custody on Wednesday charged with attempted murder, whilst the victim, a man in his 40s named locally as Stephen Ogilvie from Scotland, remains in serious condition in hospital with significant injuries to his face, neck and back.

Migration has become an increasing source of tension between Washington and London, with Mr Trump blaming Sir Keir both privately and publicly in recent weeks for failing to prevent migrants from entering Britain.

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A senior Trump administration official warned European migration serves as a transit route to America, while fundamentally altering allied nations' demographics and values.

The official referenced the Five Eyes intelligence alliance between the US, UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand, saying: "We don't want Five Eyes partners ruled by sharia courts. We don't want mutual defence pacts with societies viciously hostile to the idea of the West defending or sustaining itself."

Anna Kelly, the deputy White House press secretary, said: "Left-wing policies of unfettered migration and destructive globalism have made once great European cities unrecognisable."

Mr Trump has labelled Sir Keir's migration policies "horrible" and suggested deploying the military to halt small-boat crossings, claiming London is moving towards sharia law implementation.

Channel crossings hit a record 31,000 in 2025, the highest annual figure since arrivals began in 2018.

Geneva shut down on Sunday as 50,000 protesters descended on the city to demonstrate against the G7, with businesses closing and police in riot gear taking positions on street corners behind anti-protester fencing.

Authorities closed 27 border crossings to prevent demonstrators reaching Évian, the lakeside spa town where world leaders will stay, while military helicopters circled Lake Geneva and police boats patrolled the water.

The "No-G7" coalition comprises more than 60 associations, unions and left-wing groups opposing "fascism and imperialism".

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Francoise Nyffeler, spokesman for the NoG7 coalition, told the Associated Press: "We are very afraid of the policy and the politics of Mr Trump and also of the other leaders of the G7, because they are fighting, making war all over the place."

French and Swiss military personnel have been deployed alongside local police, given the scale of the protests and the presence of multiple world leaders.

The three-day summit begins on Monday, having been postponed by a day to allow Mr Trump to mark his 80th birthday with a UFC event featuring seven bouts on the White House South Lawn.

Mr Trump will participate in a working session with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Tuesday morning, though no formal bilateral meeting between the two has been scheduled, according to a senior administration official who said they "very well may meet with each other on the sidelines".

The President has arranged separate talks with the leaders of Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and India, with discussions expected to focus on finalising a US-Iran peace deal currently being mediated by Pakistan.

The status of American-Iranian negotiations will dominate summit discussions, with potential talks on French and British participation in mine-clearing operations in the Strait of Hormuz, which has remained largely closed to shipping due to the war.

Trade imbalances feature prominently on the agenda, with a US official praising France for including the issue at Mr Trump's long-standing insistence.

Mr Trump will also dine at the Palace of Versailles with French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday evening to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence.

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