Trump set to land in Suffolk as Air Force One refuels en route to Middle East visit this week

Donald Trump is expected to land in the UK within hours as part of a brief but high-security refuelling stop during his journey to the Middle East. The president’s arrival is anticipated at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, with official restrictions suggesting his presidential aircraft, Air Force One, could touch down late Monday night or early Tuesday morning.

Flight prohibition orders issued by the UK government cite security and public safety, specifically referencing visits by a “head of state,” and outline airspace closures from 23:00 BST Monday to 04:00 Tuesday. A second window on Friday from 17:00 to 22:00 has also been flagged, indicating a potential return stop at the same location.

The visit is expected to be swift. In 2019, during his first term as US president, Mr Trump’s plane refuelled at RAF Mildenhall en route to Vietnam in just under 26 minutes. Though the stop is not part of a formal UK tour, its significance hasn’t gone unnoticed, particularly as Trump eyes a return to the White House in the 2024 US presidential election.

Security is expected to be tight. RAF Mildenhall, a strategically located US airbase in East Anglia, has hosted a range of high-profile transatlantic operations, and preparations are reportedly already underway. While there has been no official comment from Trump’s team, local sources and government documents suggest a high degree of certainty around his arrival.

Speculation also swirls around what awaits him in the Middle East. According to reports, Mr Trump may be gifted a Boeing 747 by the Qatari royal family — a plane he’s expected to retrofit into a personalised version of Air Force One should he regain the presidency. If confirmed, the aircraft would be a lavish and symbolic gesture ahead of the 2024 campaign.

Adding to the intrigue, Trump recently told reporters at the White House that he expects to return to the UK in a more official capacity later this year. He claimed that September is being eyed for a meeting with King Charles III, saying he had been “invited by the King and the country.”

Whether such a visit materialises remains to be seen, but the president’s past with Britain includes one of the most high-profile state visits in recent years. In June 2019, Trump was hosted by Queen Elizabeth II, who rolled out full ceremonial honours. He dined at Buckingham Palace, visited Westminster Abbey, and met then-Prime Minister Theresa May.

His ties to the UK have been complex but enduring, particularly among certain political and media circles. A September visit, if confirmed, would be his first return in an official capacity since leaving office — a move that would come at a crucial moment in both American and global politics.

For now, all eyes are on Suffolk. Despite the brief nature of the refuelling stop, it marks yet another transatlantic moment of significance involving one of the most divisive and recognisable figures in modern politics.

As Air Force One gears up for its late-night landing, RAF Mildenhall — a quiet corner of Britain with a long military history — prepares once more to play host to the spectacle of American presidential logistics.