King Charles reportedly expressed concerns about hosting Donald Trump for a state visit in September 2025, following the US President's heated exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in February of that year, according to The i Paper. The monarch is said to have been worried about the optics of welcoming Trump after the televised argument, which saw Zelensky asked to leave the White House.
The disagreement occurred when a scheduled US-Ukraine minerals deal collapsed into a shouting match. Trump later criticised Zelensky online, accusing him of disrespecting the United States. The King, who had held an audience with Zelensky at Sandringham just days after the row, was reportedly “jittery” and “did not want to do it,” according to Whitehall sources cited by The i Paper.
The Palace shared these concerns with the UK Government, which feared that cancelling the visit could damage the special relationship between the two nations. Emails between then-US ambassador Peter Mandelson and officials in March 2025 revealed the panic behind closed doors, as officials worked to reassure the King.
Despite the reservations, the King ultimately hosted Trump and First Lady Melania Trump at Windsor Castle in September 2025. The visit proceeded, though reports suggest Trump was keen to maintain his relationship with the monarch regardless of the King's earlier support for Zelensky.
