King Charles, Donald Trump praise ties despite Iran tensions

Britain’s King Charles III and United States President Donald Trump have praised the long-standing alliance between their countries during a White House state dinner, despite tensions over Iran.

At the formal event on Tuesday, the King echoed the tone of his earlier address to Congress, urging continued unity between London and Washington. He did not directly reference the US-Israeli conflict with Tehran.

In contrast, Donald Trump addressed the issue during his toast, marking his first public comments on the matter during the four-day visit by the British royals. “We have militarily defeated that particular opponent,” Donald Trump said. “Charles agrees with me even more than I do—we’re never going to let that opponent have a nuclear weapon.”

Donald Trump has repeatedly criticised British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for opposing the Iran war. There has been no indication that King Charles III supports Donald Trump’s stance.

Despite these differences, both leaders emphasised the importance of the “special relationship”. King Charles III said he was “here to renew an indispensable alliance which has long been a cornerstone of prosperity and security.”

He also highlighted the role of international alliances, including NATO, which Donald Trump has previously criticised, and called for sustained support for Ukraine in its defence against Russia’s invasion. “Together, we can meet the challenges of an increasingly complex and contested world,” he added.

The state dinner featured a menu including garden vegetable velouté, spring-herbed ravioli, Dover sole meunière, and a White House honey and vanilla bean crémeux. Guests included Apple chief executive Tim Cook, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Nvidia chief Jensen Huang, and Northern Ireland-born golfer Rory McIlroy, a two-time Masters champion.

The evening included lighter moments. King Charles III joked about Donald Trump’s recent remark that allies would be speaking German without United States support in World War II. “Dare I say that, if it wasn’t for us, you’d be speaking French" the King said, referencing historic rivalry between Britain and France before American independence.

Donald Trump praised the King’s earlier speech to Congress, describing it as “fantastic” and adding, "He got the Democrats to stand—I’ve never been able to do that.”

In his address to lawmakers, King Charles III received a warm reception as he urged the United States to stand firm with Western allies. He also raised issues such as environmental protection, which Donald Trump has often downplayed.

He stressed that “unyielding resolve” was necessary to secure a “just and lasting peace” in Ukraine, which has faced a full-scale Russian invasion since 2022.

The speech marked only the second time a British monarch has addressed the US Congress, following Queen Elizabeth II in 1991. King Charles III also pointed to shared democratic traditions, noting that the Magna Carta has been cited in more than 160 US Supreme Court cases. The reference, highlighting the principle that executive power is subject to checks and balances, drew strong applause from opposition Democrats.

Earlier, Donald Trump welcomed King Charles III and Queen Camilla to the White House with full ceremonial honours, including a 21-gun salute and a flypast. “In the centuries since we won our independence, Americans have had no closer friends than the British,” Donald Trump said.

The visit comes at a sensitive time in transatlantic relations, with Donald Trump criticising Britain’s policies on Iran and other issues. Nonetheless, he struck a relaxed tone, joking that his Scottish-born mother had “a crush on Charles” and making a light remark about British weather.

Security has been heightened following an alleged assassination attempt against Donald Trump at a Washington media event over the weekend. Addressing the incident, King Charles III said: “Such acts of violence will never succeed.”

The royal visit will continue on Wednesday with a trip to New York, including a tour of the 9/11 memorial, before concluding on Thursday with a visit to Bermuda.