Donald Trump may visit UK this month, but date 'being kept secret to avoid protests'

Donald Trump may visit the UK briefly this month en route to celebrate Bastille Day in France on 14 July.

UK Government officials are reportedly “on alert” for a flying visit from the US President as he travels to Europe, but the UK stopover would only likely be confirmed 24 hours in advance.

A White House source told The Sunday Times, “There is a window of opportunity for the President to visit Britain when he is in Europe later this month.

“It is likely it will be hastily arranged and it is possible no official confirmation of his visit will be given until at least 24 hours before to stop any large-scale protests against his visit from being mobilised.”

Westminster reportedly does not have any official requests from the US to prepare for a visit by Mr Trump, but the President is expected to fly to one of his golf courses in Scotland for an informal trip and he may wish to see the Prime Minister.

The news comes after a state visit from Mr Trump was scrapped in June over fear of protests and there was no mention of him in the Queen’s Speech.

In pictures: President Donald Trump on tour

39 show all In pictures: President Donald Trump on tour

1/39 20 May 2017 US President Donald Trump and Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud arriving for a reception ahead of a banquet at Murabba Palace in Riyadh Getty Images

2/39 20 May 2017 US President Donald Trump, accompanied by First Lady Melania Trump, and Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud being welcomed at Murabba Palace in Riyadh Getty Images

3/39 20 May 2017 US President Donald J. Trump with King of Saudi Arabia Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud during a welcome ceremony with traditional sword dancers at Murabba Palace, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia EPA

4/39 20 May 2017 King of Saudi Arabia Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud with US President Donald J. Trump and wife Melania during a welcome ceremony at Murabba Palace, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia EPA

5/39 20 May 2017 US President Donald Trump adjusts the Collar of Abdulaziz Al Saud Medal, after it was bestowed upon him by Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud at the Royal Court in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Reuters

6/39 20 May 2017 Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud presents U.S. President Donald Trump with the Collar of Abdulaziz Al Saud Medal at the Royal Court in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Reuters

7/39 21 May 2017 Palestinians print posters depicting US President Donald Trump in preparations for his planned visit, in the West Bank town of Bethlehem Reuters

8/39 21 May 2017 US President Donald Trump accompanied by first lady Melania Trump, his daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband White House senior advisor Jared Kushner, before delivering his remarks to the Arab Islamic American Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia Reuters

9/39 21 May 2017 US President Donald Trump looks on as U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Muhammad bin Nayef exchange a memorandum of understanding Reuters

10/39 21 May 2017 First Lady Melania Trump shares a laugh with a child during a visit to the American International School in the Saudi capital Riyadh Getty Images

11/39 21 May 2017 US President Donald Trump holds a bilateral meeting with Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa AP

12/39 22 May 2017 Israeli soldiers rest during preparations ahead of President Trump's landing in Tel Aviv, Israel Getty Images

13/39 22 May 2017 First Lady Melania Trump makes her way to board Air Force One in Riyadh as she heads with her husband the US President to Israel Getty Images

14/39 22 May 2017 US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump board Air Force One for Israel, the next stop in Trump's international tour, at King Khalid International Airport AP

15/39 22 May 2017 Israeli soldiers wait for the arrival ceremony of US President Donald Trump at Ben Gurion airport near Tel Aviv, Israel AP

16/39 22 May 2017 US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump arrive aboard Air Force One at Ben Gurion International Airport in Lod near Tel Aviv, Israel Reuters

17/39 22 May 2017 US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump disembark Air Force One on arrival at Ben Gurion International Airport AP

18/39 22 May 2017 US President Donald J. Trump and his wife, US First Lady Melania Trump are welcomed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport, in Lod outside Tel Aviv, Israel EPA

19/39 22 May 2017 US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sit during welcome ceremony in Tel Aviv AP

20/39 22 May 2017 US First Lady Melania Trump chats wife Sara Netanyahu as US President Donald Trump chats to Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a welcoming ceremony to welcome Trump at Ben Gurion International Airport Reuters

21/39 22 May 2017 US President Donald Trump delivers a speech upon his arrival at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv Getty Images

22/39 22 May 2017 US President Donald Trump gestures during a press conference with Israel's President at the President's Residence in Jerusalem Getty Images

23/39 22 May 2017 US President Donald Trump watches as First Lady Melania Trump signs the guest book at the President's Residence in Jerusalem Getty Images

24/39 22 May 2017 US President Donald Trump walks with first lady Melania Trump in Jerusalem's Old City Reuters

25/39 22 May 2017 US President Donald Trump visits the Western Wall, the holiest site where Jews can pray, in Jerusalems Old City Getty Images

26/39 22 May 2017 US President Donald Trump stands next to Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz at the plaza in front of the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest prayer site, in Jerusalem's Old City Reuters

27/39 22 May 2017 US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and White House senior advisor Jared Kushner leave notes at the Western Wall in Jerusalem Reuters

28/39 22 May 2017 US First Lady Melania Trump touches the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest prayer site, in Jerusalem's Old City EPA

29/39 22 May 2017 Ivanka Trump, assistant and daughter of US President Donald J. Trump, touches the Western Wall, Judaism's holiest prayer site, in Jerusalem's Old City EPA

30/39 22 May 2017 President Donald Trump visits the Western Wall AP

31/39 24 May 2017 US President Donald J. Trump arrives in a vehicle to Saint Damaso's Court for a private audience with Pope Francis in Vatican City EPA

32/39 24 May 2017 Pope Francis walks past Ivanka Trump and First Lady Melania Trump on the occasion of the private audience with President Donald Trump, at the Vatican AP

33/39 24 May 2017 Pope Francis exchanges gifts with US President Donald Trump during a private audience at the Vatican Getty Images

34/39 24 May 2017 Pope Francis meets US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania during a private audience at the Vatican Reuters

35/39 24 May 2017 Pope Francis with US President Donald J. Trump EPA

36/39 24 May 2017 Pope Francis gets into is car after meeting with US President Donald Trump AP

37/39 24 May 2017 President Donald Trump and his wife Melania look at the frescoed ceilings during their visit to the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican L'Osservatore Romano/Pool Photo via AP

38/39 24 May 2017 US President Donald Trump security vehicles are seen in front of Air Force One before take off from Leonardo da Vinci-Fiumicino Airport in Rome, Italy Reuters

39/39 24 May 2017 US President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump wave to reporters before boarding the Air Force One to Brussels, at the end of a 2-day visit to Italy including a meeting with Pope Francis at the Vatican, at Rome's Fiumicino international airport AP

Theresa May was strongly criticised for taking a soft approach with Mr Trump when she visited him in Washington DC earlier this year, refusing to publicly call him out on his previous remarks against women and people of colour.

She has not seen the President since he allegedly disclosed Israeli intelligence in a meeting in May with Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov and US ambassador Sergei Kislyak.

“We continue to work with the United States and we continue to share intelligence with the United States, as we do with others around the world,” said Ms May.

Eric Trump: “We made Turnberry great again”

His visit to Scotland is also likely to be controversial.

He opened a golf resort in Menie, Aberdeenshire, in 2012 after a lengthy battle with local residents and protesters, and a documentary called You’ve Been Trumped recorded the ordeal.

The President then bought Turnberry, a golf course in Ayrshire, for an undisclosed sum two years later.

The business ventures made a loss of around £9.5 million last year, according to documents filed with Companies House.

During a recent trip to Scotland, local protesters held up Mexican flags by his course in Aberdeenshire to show solidarity with the people of Mexico, who Mr Trump had called “rapists” and “drug dealers” on the campaign trail.

Former First Minister Alex Salmond revealed the 16 irate letters Mr Trump had sent him to complain about wind turbines being built near his resort – a battle the President lost in court in 2015 – and First Minster Nicola Sturgeon has publicly called Mr Trump a “misogynist”.