After nearly two days of pomp and ceremony, a key question for UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer would be answered in real time at a final press conference.
Had he done enough to please Donald Trump and avoid a blow-up in front of the world's media?
The US president's unprecedented second state visit to the UK had been designed to woo the American leader who loves royalty, the big stage and going off-script.
Over almost an hour, the pair were questioned about the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Palestinian statehood, Jeffrey Epstein, TikTok, Christianity and free speech.
Here are the key moments from the press conference that brought Donald Trump's UK state visit to a close.
Trump disagrees with UK Palestinian statehood plan
The question of Palestinian statehood was always going to be a sticking point and a difficult question to navigate for Starmer.
The UK, Australia and several other Western nations plan on backing the recognition of a Palestinian state next week at the UN General Assembly in New York.
That plan has frustrated the American leader and he was blunt when asked about it.
"I have a disagreement with the prime minister on that score, one of the few disagreements actually," Trump told reporters at the UK prime minister's countryside retreat, Chequers.
The UK prime minister said it was one of the topics the pair spoke about prior to the press conference.
He said "the question of recognition" should be seen "within the context of a plan for peace" — a carefully worded answer designed to not risk lecturing his volatile guest.
Freeing the hostages, getting aid into Gaza and Palestinian statehood were part of a package, the British leader said, "that hopefully takes us from the appalling situation we're in now to the outcome of a safe and secure Israel and a viable Palestinian state".
He was then asked whether recognising Palestine risked emboldening Hamas and if he was waiting for Trump's exit from the United Kingdom before moving forward with the plan.
"[Hamas] is a terrorist organisation who can have no part in any future governance of Palestine," he responded.
That earned him a pat on the shoulder from Trump.
"That's good," the US president said.
October 7 Trump's go-to answer on Gaza
As the Israeli military continues its offensive in Gaza City, a reporter told Trump that he was the only person who could stop "the demolition of Gaza City, stop the starvation of Palestine and to stop the killing of civilians".
He was asked when he would "exercise his power".
But the US president interjected, asking: "You do understand about October 7? … one of the worst days in the history of humanity."
The reporter asked whether the return of the hostages would be the thing that triggered him to pressure his Israeli counterpart to stop the war.
"It would certainly help, but I have to have the hostages back. And I don't want them back piecemeal," he said.
He repeatedly referenced October 7 when pushed on the war, saying he could not forget it — a point his British counterpart agreed with.
Putin 'has really let me down'
A pre-election promise from Trump was that he could settle the war in Ukraine in 24 hours.
Questioned about what the next steps were to bring peace now, he said Russian President Vladimir Putin "has really let me down".
He again said he thought the war would be the easiest of the world conflicts to solve "because of my relationship with President Putin, but he's let me down".
"Millions of people have died in that war, millions of souls, and they're not American," he said.
"They're being killed and I feel I have an obligation to get it settled for that reason."
Starmer said it was only when his counterpart pressured Putin that things changed.
"We have to ramp up that pressure," he said.
Referencing recent Russian attacks on a British Council building, the European Union embassy, and the recent incursion of drones into Polish airspace, Starmer said there was little sign that Putin was interested in peace.
On the question of further sanctions, Trump said he had already sanctioned India for buying Russian oil and he wanted other countries, including in Europe, to stop buying Russian oil.
Starmer said some countries were too reliant on Russian energy.
"There is no one silver bullet here, we do need a wider suite of sanctions," Starmer said.
Trump didn't commit to further sanctions and saw the issue more simply.
"If the price of oil comes down, Putin is going to drop out, he's going to have no choice, he's going to drop out of that war," he said.
US wants an Afghan air base back
It wouldn't be a Trump press conference without a curveball, and a tangent about his predecessor's handling of the war in Afghanistan brought one.
He revealed that America wanted the Bagram air base in Afghanistan back.
The Soviet-built airstrip was the main base for American forces in the country following the September 11 terror attacks, up until the withdrawal of US troops in 2021 when the Taliban took over.
"We're trying to get it back," he said, citing its strategic location relative to China and Beijing's nuclear program.
The elephant in the room
Convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein has dogged both leaders in recent months.
Last week, the UK ambassador to the US, Lord Mandelson, was sacked over his ties to the disgraced financier.
That was awkward timing and Trump was asked what he made of the decision.
"I don't know him actually," Trump said, despite being photographed with him earlier this year.
Trump added that he had heard about the sacking but turned to Starmer and asked what his answer was, sparking laughter in the room.
Starmer wasn't seeing the funny side.
"Well I mean it's very straightforward," he said.
"Some information came to light last week which wasn't available when he was appointed and I made the decision about that very clear."
Another thorny topic for Starmer was migration, which has been the key issue of his term so far.
Trump suggested that his British counterpart could use the military to control the country's borders.
"It doesn't matter what means you use," he said.
Starmer said that the "one in one out deal", that sees migrants who cross the English Channel to the UK returned to France, was succeeding.
Trump takes aim at Jimmy Kimmel again
The American press contingent had plenty of questions on domestic issues for Trump, including on migration, Antifa and free speech — including the sacking of late-night TV host Jimmy Kimmel.
Jimmy Kimmel Live was indefinitely suspended on Thursday in the US, after comments Kimmel made about slain conservative political activist, Charlie Kirk.
When asked about the suspension, Trump said Kimmel was "fired because he had bad ratings more than anything else".
"He said a horrible thing about a great gentleman known as Charlie Kirk," he said.
"Jimmy Kimmel is not a talented person, he had very bad ratings and they should've fired him a long time ago.
"You can call that free speech or not, he was fired for a lack of talent."
He had previously posted on social media that the cancellation was "great news for America".
American politicians, including US Vice-President JD Vance, have attacked European democracies, including the UK, for what they say is a lack of free speech.
Starmer said Britain had enjoyed freedom of speech for a long time and he would continue to defend it.
US-UK technology partnership signed
For all the questions, careful answers, ceremonial glamour, shoulder pats and laughter, there was one tangible outcome from this historic state visit.
Before the press conference, the two leaders signed what was hailed as a "groundbreaking" tech partnership between the US and UK.
The deal includes pledges from mostly US-based tech and finance groups worth a combined £150 billion ($307 billion), as part of a larger £250b package.
The tech partnership is designed to strengthen cooperation in artificial intelligence, quantum computing and nuclear energy, with most of the private investment headed for the UK.
"It is the biggest investment package of its kind in British history," Starmer said.
"This is a great day for the special relationship."
The US president agreed.
"We've done some things that financially are great for both countries … I think it's an unbreakable bond we have, regardless of what we're doing today. I think it's unbreakable," Trump said.
Companies including Google, OpenAI, GSK and Microsoft are all involved in the deal.
