Donald Trump has praised the “special relationship” between the US and the UK as he hosted a ceremonial military welcome for King Charles and Queen Camilla at the White House. Speaking on the second day of the state visit, the US president said: “In the centuries since we won our independence, Americans have had no closer friends than the British.”
Trump described the king as a “very elegant man” and paid tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II as a “very special woman”, revealing that his own mother had a “crush” on Charles when he was younger. The first couple, Melania and Donald Trump, staged an unprecedented military ceremony, with the royal couple watching from a dais alongside invited dignitaries and hundreds of spectators.
The visit comes amid recent tensions between London and Washington, including Trump’s public criticism of Prime Minister Keir Starmer over the war in Iran. Downing Street will hope that royal soft power diplomacy can help heal the rift. Trump has also threatened to tear up a UK-US trade deal, mocked the Royal Navy, and imposed a potential tariff on British goods over the digital services tax.
Later on Tuesday, King Charles is expected to address US Congress, a rare honour for a monarch. He is likely to acknowledge that the two nations have not always agreed, but stress the strength of their shared democratic and legal traditions. The king is also expected to reference the recent assassination attempt against Trump at a Washington dinner, and underline the importance of trade and technology deals for the economic partnership.
The ceremony featured the UK and US national anthems played by the Marine Band and a 21-gun salute. Senior Trump administration officials in attendance included Vice-President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and Secretary of Defence Pete Hegseth.
