Buckingham Palace issues statement on Donald Trump's claims about King Charles in state dinner speech
Trump gave his speech on Tuesday eveningDonald Trump has said that King Charles shares his view that Iran can never “have a nuclear weapon,” drawing the monarch into a sensitive transatlantic dispute over the Middle East.
The assertion came during a state dinner in Washington DC, where the US President hosted the king and Queen Camilla on the second day of the royal visit.
The king made no explicit reference to Iran either in his address to Congress earlier in the day or in his own remarks at the dinner, limiting his comments to the broader “conflict in the Middle East”.
As head of state, the monarch is expected to remain politically neutral, with personal views rarely disclosed.
Donald Trump makes claim about King Charles in speech
Nevertheless, Trump used his toast to suggest alignment.
“We’re doing a little Middle East work right now… and we’re doing very well,” he said. “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.”
His remarks prompted applause from those in attendance. Trump has previously criticised the UK’s handling of the crisis and directed pointed remarks at Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in recent weeks.
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However, Buckingham Palace later reiterated that the king remains mindful of the UK Government’s established position on preventing nuclear proliferation.
A spokesman said: “The king is naturally mindful of his Government’s long-standing and well-known position on the prevention of nuclear proliferation.”
King Charles’ comments during speech
In contrast, the king struck a more measured tone in his speech, urging both nations to “renew” their longstanding partnership at what he described as a “critical time”. Reflecting on past tensions, he noted that his mother’s 1957 US visit had helped repair relations after the Suez Crisis, adding that such a rupture would be “hard to imagine” today.
He described the UK-US relationship as an “indispensable alliance” underpinning shared prosperity and security.
Relations between the two countries have come under strain, with Trump’s recent criticisms of Britain’s stance on the conflict. The president has also described Sir Keir as “very disappointing” and “no Churchill”. It came after the PM didn’t allow the US to use British bases to attack Iran.
Charles agrees with me even more than I do.
Despite the political backdrop, the evening retained moments of levity. The king joked that the dinner marked “a considerable improvement on the Boston Tea Party,” drawing laughter from guests. He also presented Trump with the bell from a 1940s Royal Navy submarine, HMS Trump, as a symbolic gesture of shared history.
King Charles delivers speech during US state visit
In his speech, Charles praised the American spirit as one of “courage, tenacity and the spirit of adventure,” while reaffirming the enduring ties between the two nations
“We have stood together in the best of times and worst of times,” he said, emphasising the need to reinforce the foundations of that partnership amid current global challenges.
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