The British leader's visit was designed to honour the long-term Bush-Blair partnership and was expected to produce no major results. The two men planned to discuss a range of issues Thursday, then hold a joint news conference.

Blair began his visit Wednesday with a private, working dinner at the White House. That was to be followed by a rare overnight stay for a foreign leader in the US executive mansion. He was staying in the Queen's Bedroom that was used by Winston Churchill during the former British leader's frequent World War II-era visits to Washington.

Blair's White House visit was one of a series of meetings with foreign leaders during a carefully choreographed exit after his announcement last week that he would step down as prime minister on June 27.

"I think the visit is more sentimental and social than substantive," said Henry Catto, a US ambassador to London under former President Bush and current chairman of the Atlantic Council of the United States.