As President Trump’s visit to the UK approaches protesters have been eagerly gearing up with their finest props to protest him for the typical media-induced anti-Trump talking points, all in an effort to display the image that the entire country is against Trump, but one pub owner is shattering that narrative by going all out in a display of support for the American president.
In one corner of London, owner of the pub Jameson Damien Smyth, is changing the name of his bar to “The Trump Arms” for the duration of President Trump’s visit to the UK, hanging up American flags and will be serving American style burgers.
Yes, for the duration of your visit, Mr President, the Jameson in Hammersmith shall be known as The Trump Arms.
There will be a grand opening on Friday, an all-day, £32-a-head party on Saturday: American style burgers, just the way you reportedly like to eat them in bed, with a pint of stout if you wish, or some Trump-themed cocktails if you prefer something a bit more fruit-based and Mar-A-Lago.
Damien Smyth, who is proudly displaying Trump’s iconic Make America Great Again hat in his bar, wants to show his support to counter the organized anti-Trump protests and their attempt to portray the false image of a country united against Trump.
Smyth is also an avid supporter of Brexit and says he wants to offer Trump “a very warm welcome”, which is unique at a time when organized protesters are doing their best to display nothing else but hate for a leader of a country who dares to challenge globalism and put his nation’s interests above the rest of the world.
“He’s a massive Trump fan,” the regulars say, “And quite a character.”
In fact the Trump Arms does seem to be attracting quite a few “characters” these days.
When The Independent popped in for a lunchtime chat we bumped into Gawain Towler, ex-head of press for Ukip. He’s offering a bit of friendly PR advice for the forthcoming Trump Arms festivities.
“It’s a jolly wheeze,” he says, “A bit of fun. It’s quite fun to cock a snook, to give a small counter-blast against the essentially false narrative that everybody in London disapproves of a visit by the head of state of our biggest ally.
“What’s wrong with us?” adds Mr Towler, referring to those protesting against Mr Trump. “Post-Brexit we are going to want a trade deal with him. The protests are a spasm of unbelievable self-indulgence from people behaving like spoilt children.”
Mr Towler knows Mr Smyth a little, but he’s mainly here because of his mate Patrick Sullivan, the chief executive of the Parliament Street think tank.
Mr Sullivan, it transpires, is the co-organiser with Mr Smyth of the Trump Arms celebrations.
Thanks to him, Friday’s mainly invitation-only grand opening will, Mr Sullivan says, be attended by Trump supporters and people from “various conservative groups”.
There will be people from the Bow Group, a conservative think tank, and from the Bruges Group, which credits itself with having “spearheaded the intellectual battle to win a vote to leave the European Union”.
Mr. Sullivan, who is helping pub owner Damien Smyth during his pro-Trump event, says he is standing up for the “silent majority” of Britain and referred to the anti-Trump protesters as “rioters”, who often resort to childish or even violent measures during their protests against Trump in America. He also called out the fact that often times these protests are well-funded by liberal organizations, who in America have been caught on video busing in anti-Trump protesters from out of town and even going as far as putting ads on Craigslist paying $15/hr to protest Trump.
“I’m hugely excited,” admits Mr Sullivan, 32. “We’re standing up for the silent majority of Britons. We’re showing Trump that, actually, the British people do support him, and the rioters don’t speak for all of us.”
Err, the rioters? Which rioters, The Independent wonders, is Mr Sullivan talking about, fully seven days before Mr Trump lands?
“The protesters,” explains Mr Sullivan. “I call them rioters because they are basically rioting. And it’s more of a colourful way of putting it. A lot of those demonstrating are professional protesters who will march against everything.”
And now that’s cleared up, it just remains to talk about matters like “pussy grabbing” comments and putting child migrants in cages.
“Firstly,” says Mr Sullivan, “I don’t think that’s what Trump stands for. And you don’t have to agree with everything to see he’s made the world safe again. He was the guy who knew how to get Kim Jong-Un to the negotiating table.”
Although both the American and UK mainstream media outlets will undoubtedly focus on the anti-Trump protests taking place during his visit, especially the “Trump baby blimp” that London mayor Sadiq Kahn approved to be flying over the area, there are many Britons who are members of the silent majority that will be supporting President Trump and his message of putting your country first, strong borders and not being afraid to show pride in your nationality.
Given the fact that Britons voted in favor of Brexit in the largest turnout for an election in the history of Britain, I’d wager those protesting Trump’s visit are in no way a reflection of the majority of the country’s opinion.