Donald Trump has claimed that King Charles agrees with him that Iran should never be allowed to possess nuclear weapons. The US president made the remarks during a state dinner at the White House on Tuesday, honoring the visiting King Charles and Queen Camilla, following bilateral talks earlier that day.
As head of state, the king is expected to remain above party politics and maintain neutrality. Trump's public assertion of the king's views is likely to cause embarrassment for royal aides, as it breaks the convention of keeping the monarch's private opinions confidential.
Trump's Dinner Speech
In his speech at the white-tie event, 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."
Trump is known for frequently attributing opinions to individuals he has spoken with privately, often contradicting their publicly stated views.
Political Reactions
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey had previously called for the king's US trip to be canceled, warning that Trump might embarrass the monarch. A Buckingham Palace spokesperson responded: "The king is naturally mindful of his government's longstanding and well-known position on the prevention of nuclear proliferation."
State Visit Highlights
During the state dinner, King Charles referenced the 1956 Suez crisis, suggesting his visit aimed to "put the 'special' back into our relationship" with the US, much like Queen Elizabeth II did nearly 70 years ago. The king also praised NATO and urged continued support for Ukraine in its war with Russia, without directly mentioning the Iran conflict.
Earlier in the day, Charles addressed Congress, becoming only the second British monarch to do so after his mother in 1991. On Wednesday, the king and queen are scheduled to mark the upcoming 25th anniversary of the September 11 attacks by laying flowers at a memorial pool in New York.
