Trump Welcomes King Charles for White House State Dinner After Congress Address

President Donald Trump welcomed King Charles to the White House for a state dinner on Tuesday evening, after Charles delivered an address to Congress earlier in the day.

“Donald Trump praised King Charles III for getting the "Democrats to stand" during his congress address, as the pair exchanged jokes during their speeches at a state dinner on Tuesday”

BBC

Trump praised King Charles’s earlier speech to Congress, remarking that it was “fantastic” and got Democrats to stand, and he joked that he had “never been able to achieve such a bipartisan reaction from Democrats.”

BBC

The BBC described how the pair exchanged jokes during their speeches at the state dinner, with Charles making quips about the Middle East crisis, a “naked Sir Winston Churchill in the White House,” and Trump’s “readjustments” to the White House.

In the East Room, Charles presented Trump with “the original bell which hung on the conning tower of your valiant namesake,” etched with “TRUMP 1944,” and Trump looked “in awe at his new bell.”

Charles then added, “Should you ever need to get hold of us,” the king said, “well, just give us a ring!”

The room burst into applause, and Trump flashed the king a thumbs-up, as the state dinner proceeded with a guest list that included Supreme Court justices and Fox News hosts.

The state dinner also became a focal point for a dispute over Iran, after Trump claimed that King Charles “agrees” with him on stopping Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

Time Magazine reported that Trump said, “We’re doing a little Middle East work right now… we’re doing very well,” and he added, “Charles agrees with me, even more than I do—we’re never going to let that opponent have a nuclear weapon, they know that.”

CNN

Time Magazine said the remark risked drawing the King into the political row over the Iran war, and it noted that “The ‌King ⁠is not a spokesperson for the British government.”

When approached for comment Wednesday morning, a Buckingham Palace spokesperson told Time Magazine, “The King is naturally mindful of his Government’s long-standing and well-known position on the prevention of nuclear proliferation.”

NBC News similarly reported that Trump briefly discussed the Iran war during his state dinner remarks, saying, “We’re doing a little Middle East work right now,” and that “Charles agrees with me even more than I do.”

The Times described the same moment as Trump bringing in the King, saying Iran had been “militarily defeated” and that Charles “agrees with me even more than I do” on preventing Tehran from building a nuclear weapon.

Before the dinner, King Charles delivered a 28-minute address to a joint meeting of Congress that the Washington Post said was “scrupulously nonpartisan” while urging democratic values and “checks on executive power.”

“Topline At least 10 billionaires dined with Britain’s King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Tuesday’s White House state dinner, among a guest list that included Supreme Court justices, CEOs, Fox News hosts and President Donald Trump’s personal friends and donors”

Forbes

The Washington Post reported that Charles stayed nonpartisan over the course of his “28-minute address,” and it said he promoted “centuries of common interests” even as Trump sought “a sharp break from U.S. precedent.”

The Washington Post added that Charles urged lawmakers “to address global problems collectively” and highlighted democratic norms, Ukraine, and Western unity, while avoiding naming the president.

CNN’s account of the day said Charles’s Congress speech included a focus on the “special relationship” between the U.S. and the U.K., and it reported that he pushed back on issues Trump had “sparred with Britain over in recent months.”

CNN also said Charles began his remarks referencing “Saturday’s shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner,” saying such violent acts “will never succeed.”

NBC News described Charles’s toast at the state dinner as emphasizing NATO ties, quoting him saying, “I shall never forget that, not least as freedom is again under attack following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.”

During the state dinner, Charles’s remarks mixed diplomacy with pointed humor, including references to the White House East Wing and earlier Trump comments about European allies.

BBC reported that Charles made quips about Trump’s “readjustments” to the White House, and it said he joked that “if it wasn't for us, you'd be speaking French,” referencing a battle between Britain and France to control North America in the eighteenth century.

Fox News

France 24 described the same joke in full, quoting Charles: “Dare I say that, if it wasn't for us, you'd be speaking French,” and it said the king referenced Trump’s January claim that without U.S. aid in World War II, Europeans would be speaking German.

Fox News reported that Charles joked about the British making “our own small attempt at real estate redevelopment of the White House in 1814,” after Trump’s demolition of the East Wing to build a $400 million ballroom.

Fox News also quoted Charles directly on the East Wing, saying, “I cannot help noticing the readjustments to the East Wing, Mr. President, following your visit to Windsor Castle last year,” and it tied the quip to Trump’s plans for the ballroom.

USA Today similarly reported that Charles referenced the East Wing project and quoted the king saying, “Dare I say that, if it wasn’t for us, you’d be speaking French,” while also describing the gift as a “symbol of friendship to mark this renewal.”

The state dinner’s guest list, as described by Forbes, included at least 10 billionaires and a mix of Supreme Court justices, CEOs, Fox News hosts, and President Donald Trump’s personal friends and donors.

“'You'd be speaking French': King Charles pokes fun at Trump during state dinner Britain's King Charles III used his speech at a state dinner at the White House on Tuesday to poke fun at US President Donald Trump who, in January, told European leaders that without US aid in World War II they would be speaking German”

France 24

Forbes named Marc Andreessen as a Trump donor and Silicon Valley venture capitalist worth an estimated $1.9 billion, Tim Cook as an Apple CEO worth an estimated $2.8 billion, and Jensen Huang as the Nvidia CEO worth an estimated $181.9 billion.

France 24

Forbes also listed Robert Kraft as a New England Patriots owner worth an estimated $13.8 billion, and Howard Lutnick as Commerce Secretary and former Cantor Fitzgerald CEO worth an estimated $7.4 billion.

The same Forbes report said the guest list included Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Samuel Alito Jr., Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Clarence Thomas, alongside Fox News hosts Bret Baier, Maria Bartiromo, Ainsley Earhardt, Greg Gutfeld, Laura Ingraham and Fox News Media CEO Suzanne Scott.

USA Today said the dinner was hosted by President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump and described the state visit as the king’s first U.S. trip since his 2023 coronation, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

CNN’s live recap said the second day of the visit included a meeting with President Donald Trump, a historic address to a joint meeting of Congress, and concluded with the state dinner at the White House.