US President Donald Trump has insisted that King Charles agrees with him that Iran should never be allowed to possess nuclear weapons. The American leader made the remarks during a toast at the White House state dinner on Tuesday evening, honouring the King and Queen Camilla.
Mr Trump stated: “We’re doing a little Middle East work right now, and we’re doing very well. We have militarily defeated that particular opponent, and we’re never going to let that opponent ever — Charles agrees with me even more than I do — we’re never going to let that opponent have a nuclear weapon. They know that, and they’ve known it right now, very powerfully.”
The comments risk drawing the monarch into the political controversy surrounding the crisis in the Middle East. Charles’s state visit, the most diplomatically sensitive of his reign, occurs against a backdrop of criticism from Mr Trump directed at Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer over the war in Iran. The president has accused the UK of adopting a “terrible” approach to the conflict.
King’s Address and Toasts
During his own toast, the King called on Mr Trump to “renew” the bonds of friendship between the United States and the United Kingdom at this “critical time.” Charles, delivering a shorter, less formal, and more personal speech than his historic address to Congress, told the American leader it was “an important opportunity” and that the two nations have stood together in “the best of times and worst of times.”
In his toast at the grand White House state dinner, the King described the “indispensable alliance” as a “cornerstone of prosperity and security for both British and American citizens.” Mr Trump, in his own toast, congratulated the King on his “fantastic” speech to Congress, remarking: “He got the Democrats to stand. I’ve never been able to do that.”
Mr Trump emphasised that despite America’s independence in 1776, the relationship between the UK and the US was “unbreakable in any conflict” and had evolved into “a friendship unlike any other on earth, a very, very special and incredible friendship.”
Historic Context and Gifts
The monarch, whose state visit coincides with the Iran war and the conflict in Ukraine, referenced “those who wish us harm across the world.” In his toast, he added: “Those challenges encourage us to reaffirm, tonight, the basis on which our partnership has been built.”
As a personal gift to Mr Trump, the King presented the original bell from the Royal Navy Second World War submarine HMS Trump, quipping: “If you should ever need to get hold of us… well just give us a ring.”
Reflecting on past difficulties, the King noted: “Yes, we have had our moments of difficulty even in more recent history. When my mother visited in 1957, not the least of her tasks was to help put the ‘special’ back into our relationship after a crisis in the Middle East. Nearly 70 years on, it is hard to imagine anything like that happening today…”
Charles added: “I am so glad we have an important opportunity, at this critical time, to renew those bonds of history and friendship between our nations and our peoples.” He told guests: “Tonight, we are here to renew an indispensable alliance which has long been a cornerstone of prosperity and security for both British and American citizens. Our people have fought and fallen together in defence of the values we cherish. Across the ocean, and from coast to coast, we have traded, innovated and created together. We have stood together through the best and worst of times.”
Light-Hearted Moments
In a lighter moment, the King remarked how Mr Trump has said that if it were not for the US, European countries would be speaking German. Charles joked in return: “Dare I say that, if it wasn’t for us, you’d be speaking French!” He also quipped about US space travel: “Now, I know you have big plans for the Moon, Mr President, but I’ve actually checked the papers and I rather suspect it is already part of the Commonwealth, I’m afraid.”
Dinner Details and Guests
The Queen wore a deep pink Fiona Clare evening gown and an amethyst and diamond necklace that belonged to Queen Victoria’s mother, the Duchess of Kent. The King and Mr Trump were in white tie, while First Lady Melania Trump wore a pale silk off-the-shoulder Christian Dior gown. Among the 120 guests were golfer Rory McIlroy, Amazon boss Jeff Bezos and his wife Lauren, outgoing Apple chief Tim Cook, Eric and Lara Trump, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, Tiffany Trump and Michael Boulos, and UK Ambassador to the US Sir Christian Turner. Other attendees included US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth, and General Dan Caine, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The first lady oversaw preparations for the dinner, which featured a menu of garden vegetable velouté, spring herbed ravioli, Dover sole, and a beehive-shaped flourless chocolate gâteau. The event followed a busy day of engagements in Washington DC.
Mr Trump’s ease with the King was evident as the president was pictured smiling and touching a grinning Charles’s knee while they sat side by side during a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office. The King’s earlier address to Congress made him only the second British monarch to do so, after his mother Queen Elizabeth II in 1991, and the first British king. Charles told Congress that the partnership between the two nations is “more important today than it has ever been.”
