President Trump underscored the longtime alliance between the U.S. and the U.K. in remarks welcoming Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla to the White House on Tuesday to start the monarch’s second day of a four-day state visit.
The president said it might appear “ironic” that the U.S. is celebrating its 250th anniversary by honoring the British king.
“In fact, no tribute could be more appropriate,” Mr. Trump said from the South Lawn. “Long before Americans had a nation or a Constitution, we first had a culture, a character and a creed before we ever proclaimed our independence.”
He added, “Americans carried with us the rarest of gifts — moral courage — and it came from a small but mighty kingdom from across the sea for nearly two centuries before the Revolution. This land was settled and forged by men, women who bore in their souls the blood and noble spirit of the British here on a wild and untamed continent. They set loose the ancient English lover of liberty and Great Britain’s distinctive sense of glory, destiny and pride.
“Americans have no closer friends than the British.”
Upon arrival, the king and queen shook hands with several Trump administration officials, including Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Tuesday’s events were to include the traditional gift exchange between the Trumps and the king and queen, as well as a closed-door meeting in the Oval Office between Mr. Trump and Charles. First lady Melania Trump and Camilla scheduled an artificial intelligence event at the White House Tennis Pavilion.
The Oval Office encounter will be closed to the press because of the apolitical role of the British monarch, reducing the chances of an awkward exchange and letting both men speak freely.
Later, Charles will deliver an address to Congress emphasizing the strong bond between the Americans and British.
He will become the first British monarch to address Congress since his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in 1991.
The royals’ arrival at the White House included the usual pomp and circumstance reserved for the most prominent world leaders. Before that, a ceremony featured more than 200 performers, including “The Commandant’s Own” U.S. Marine Drum & Bugle Corps, the U.S. Army Old Guard Fife and Drum Corps and a drill presentation.
The Navy and Air Force bands and the Navy’s Sea Chanters also performed.
It’s the first White House event involving a Space Force Honor Guard formation.
Also, Mr. Trump and the king were to observe the pass in review, in which U.S. troops march in four ranks, from the South Lawn.
Charles has visited the U.S. 19 times, but this week’s trip to Washington is his first official state visit since ascending to the throne following the death of his mother in 2022.
The visit is aimed at restoring relations between the U.S. and the U.K.
Mr. Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer have been publicly airing their differences as the president has become frustrated with Mr. Starmer’s refusal to assist with the Iran war.
Mr. Starmer has bristled at Mr. Trump’s requests for help because the war is deeply unpopular in Britain. The president has fired back, saying of the British prime minister, “This is not Winston Churchill that we are dealing with.”
Mr. Trump has also imposed steep tariffs on the U.K. and warned of a “big tariff” to come if the U.K. doesn’t ditch its digital service tax on U.S. tech companies.
Other sensitive issues that could surface during the visit include the king’s brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, who was stripped of his royal titles because of his ties to deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Charles will not be meeting with Epstein victims, despite calls from U.S. lawmakers to do so.
