Trump to May: I'm not coming on state visit unless I'm welcome in the UK

Donald Trump has told Theresa May a number of times in recent months that he doesn't want to come on the planned state visit to the UK if there are going to be protests.

The US President - in several phone calls with the prime minister - has made it clear he only wanted to do overseas visits in countries where he can be certain he'll receive a warm welcome.

And a formal state visit to the UK by Mr Trump is very unlikely to pass off without incident.

Mrs May invited Mr Trump to the UK when she became the first world leader to visit him at the White House - shortly after his inauguration in January.

The Prime Minister was widely criticised for doing so.

Many thought it was far too soon to be offering a full state visit to a leader who had only been in office for a few weeks and one who had shown himself to be very divisive.

And ITV News understands Mr Trump has been telling Mrs May since March that he is reluctant to press ahead with the visit.

Transcripts of the phone calls - including Mr Trump's comments to Mrs May about the state visit - were circulated afterwards.

Copies were sent to the Foreign Office, the British Embassy in Washington DC as well as to staff in Downing Street.

State visits involve a ceremonial welcome by the Queen on Horse Guards Parade, a procession by royal carriage and a State Banquet at Buckingham Palace.

It's thought Mr Trump's visit had been pencilled in for the Autumn.

However, it now seems impossible that the state visit can go ahead this year.

That will be humiliating for Mrs May but also highly embarrassing for the Queen - who extended the invitation to the White House on the advice of the Foreign Office.

No date was given for the visit - but the Prime Minister did promise that it would take place "this year".

Now officials in Downing Street and Buckingham Palace are struggling to work out what do.

There is usually a long list of overseas leaders and monarchs who would jump at the chance of an invitation from the Queen for a state visit to the UK.

But now we know Mr Trump doesn't want to take up his invitation, Buckingham Palace must decide what to do next.

They could cancel the Autumn State Visit programme entirely.

Or they could offer the programme to someone else.

That leader would have to weigh up their desire for a ride in a carriage and a state banquet at Buckingham Palace against the perception that they were taking Mr Trump's sloppy seconds.

The decision by the US leader to reject the invitation for a state visit this year was made before his controversial criticisms of Sadiq Khan after the London bridge terrorist attack.

The President lashed out on Twitter, accusing the London Mayor of playing down the threat to Londoners from terrorism.

A day later, Mr Khan said the state visit should be cancelled and Britain should not “roll out the red carpet” for the President.