Melania Trump could visit British school to talk about bullying as a 'standalone' event on UK tour
Melania Trump is considering hosting a standalone event without her husband when the pair visit Britain next month, The Telegraph has learned.
The US First Lady could visit a British school and talk to children about the dangers of cyber bullying, according to a source familiar with the talks.
Attending a cultural event in London has been ruled out amid fears it could become a focal point for protesters voicing their opposition to Donald Trump.
British figures involved in the planning are keen to avoid a repeat of the Hamburg G20 gathering last year, when Mrs Trump was unable to leave her hotel due to protests.
However they have proposed the First Lady visits a school as part of her ‘Be Best’ campaign, designed to teach children about “the importance of social, emotional, and physical health”.
Other possible events are under discussion. UK officials said talks are going back and forth and a final decision is up to Mrs Trump’s team.
A White House delegation led by Joe Hagin, deputy chief of staff, has flown in to the UK this week to scope out venues and finalise plans.
Mr Hagin was one of the organisational masterminds behind Mr Trump’s summit with Kim Jong-un, the North Korean leader, in Singapore. He recently announced he will soon leave the White House.
UK officials are seeing Mr Trump’s visit, which could last as long as from the evening of Thursday July 12 to Sunday July 15, in two sections.
The first will see the US president in England. Two items – Mr Trump meeting the Queen at Windsor Castle and Theresa May at Chequers – have been agreed for this stretch.
Other elements, such as a possible event for Mrs Trump and whether Mr Trump will meet military figures, are understood to remain up in the air.
UK officials have played down the likelihood of either Prince Harry or Prince William meeting Mr Trump with their wives, though a decision is down to Buckingham Palace.
The second half of Mr Trump’s trip will see him in Scotland, where UK officials believe the president could visit both his golf courses there - Trump Turnberry and Trump International Golf Links Scotland.
This part of the visit is being seen as less formal, given Mr Trump often uses the time at his Mar-a-Lago golf resort in Florida to relax at weekends.
UK officials said they are no longer attempting to find a celebrity golf partner for Mr Trump, who has had rounds with famous golfers during other foreign visits.
The exact date of Mr Trump’s departure is linked to his summit with Vladimir Putin, the Russian president, who he will meet during his Europe trip. A date and location will be announced on Thursday.
If Mrs Trump does go ahead with a standalone event, it will be more evidence of her growing emergence as an independent political force within the White House.
In recent months she has sought to pick issues to champion as First Lady. She also played a prominent role in organising a state dinner for Emmanuel Macron, the French president.
