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WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump and King Charles III shared a warm exchange on Tuesday as the king embarked on a diplomatic mission in Washington. This visit aims to underscore the enduring strength of the relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States, unshaken by current political challenges.
Trump extended a formal welcome to Charles and Queen Camilla during a ceremony held on the White House’s South Lawn. The king greeted members of Trump’s Cabinet with handshakes before joining the president for a performance of the national anthem.
Later, the two leaders are set to hold a private meeting in the Oval Office. This closed-door session is expected to minimize the potential for the spontaneous and sometimes contentious discussions with foreign dignitaries that have characterized Trump’s second term.
King Charles will also make history by becoming the first British monarch to address the U.S. Congress since his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, did so in 1991. In her speech, she highlighted the shared history and democratic values of the two nations—topics that Charles is anticipated to echo during his address.
Only a select few global leaders, such as Pope Francis, Václav Havel, and Winston Churchill, have had the privilege of addressing Congress. This occasion will likely be the highlight of Charles’ public engagements during his four-day visit to the U.S., which celebrates the 250th anniversary of America’s independence from Britain.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., became the first sitting leader of his chamber to address the U.K. Parliament earlier this year. He attended a garden party with the king in Washington on Monday and said he told him he would be “well received” in Congress.
The visit comes at a challenging moment for U.S.-U.K. relations. Trump’s up-and-down relationship with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has taken a particularly sour turn over the past several months as the Republican president has sought to rally international support for the war in Iran. Trump criticized Starmer, who has largely resisted his overtures, by saying “this is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with.”
Trump has also imposed tariffs on the U.K. and warned of additional levies despite a Supreme Court ruling earlier this year that has made such unilateral moves more challenging. Trump threatened just last week to slap a “big tariff” on the U.K. if it doesn’t scrap a digital services tax on U.S. technology companies.
Trump has more broadly challenged the traditional trans-Atlantic alliance with efforts to annex Greenland and threats to walk away from NATO. He has repeatedly imposed tariffs on and taunted Canada, a member of the British Commonwealth.
Meanwhile, Charles has faced some calls on Capitol Hill to meet with victims of Jeffrey Epstein while he is in the U.S. There’s no indication that he will do so even as the scandal involving the convicted sex offender has ensnared his brother, who was arrested in February over misconduct allegations, which he denies.
Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif., urged the king over the weekend to at least address the issue during his congressional speech.
House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York blamed Republican policies on Monday for straining the U.S.-U.K. relationship.
“Hopefully, the king’s visit is going to go a long way toward repairing the damage that this administration has done to one of our most important allies in the world,” Jeffries said.
Charles and Camilla arrived at the nation’s capital on Monday and held a tea with the president and first lady Melania Trump. The royal couple will continue their U.S. trip later this week with stops in New York City and Virginia.
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