'Charles agrees with me': Trump signals alliance with King Charles over Middle East security

By ELINA SHIRAZI, US SENIOR POLITICAL REPORTER and REBECCA ENGLISH, ROYAL EDITOR Published: 02:09, 29 April 2026 | Updated: 02:29, 29 April 2026 Amidst the floral elegance of a White House East Room transformed into a lush English garden, the evening's diplomatic focus shifted sharply toward global security. During his speech at Tuesday night's state dinner, President Donald Trump addressed the tensions in the Persian Gulf, referring to Iran as a 'little work in the Middle East' while emphasizing a shared front with the British monarchy.  The President asserted that 'Charles agrees with me' that the nation must never be allowed to develop a nuclear weapon. The King's visit comes as a furious Trump continues to slam UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer over his refusal to back US military operations in Iran. In a stinging rebuke, Trump recently dismissed the British leader as 'not Winston Churchill' – ironically, the very Second World War icon who created the term 'special relationship.' The President's upset has not been limited to Downing Street; he has broadened his attacks to include other NATO allies, branding them 'cowards' and 'useless' for avoiding the Iran conflict. Speaking in March, he made it clear the monarch 'has nothing to do with that,' deliberately distancing Charles from the NATO disputes. Instead, the President has enthusiastically praised the King, repeatedly calling him a 'friend' and a 'great guy.' The King, for his part, spent a good portion of his tribute to the ‘indispensable alliance’ of the United Kingdom and the United States of America.  In a speech at a glittering black tie state dinner at the White House, His Majesty told President Trump and 120 assembled guests: ‘Tonight, we are here to renew an indispensable alliance which has long been a cornerstone of prosperity and security for both British and American citizens. Across the ocean and from coast to coast, we have traded, innovated and created together. We have stood together in the best of times and worst of times’. The monarch observed that we now face challenges from across the world - and ‘those challenges encourage us to reaffirm, tonight, the basis on which our partnership has been built’. He referenced the many ways this can be done, such as defense partnerships. Amidst the floral elegance of a White House East Room transformed into a lush English garden, the evening's diplomatic focus shifted sharply toward global security During his speech at Tuesday night's state dinner, President Donald Trump addressed the tensions in the Persian Gulf, referring to Iran as a 'little work in the Middle East' while emphasizing a shared front with the British monarchy He also gave the US leader an extraordinary personal gift from King to President as a symbol of friendship: the original bell from the Conning Tower of HMS Trump, a Royal Navy submarine that fought in the Battle of the Pacific in WW2. This echoes Queen Elizabeth’s gift of the bicentennial Liberty Bell on her visit to the US in 1976. He told Mr Trump at the dinner that it was a sign of ‘our shared history and shining future’ and quipped ‘if you ever need to get hold of us….just give us a ring’. The themes of the speech were similar to his earlier address to Congress but less formal and more personal tone. His Majesty again referenced the security incident on Saturday and saluted both the actions of security services in preventing further injury and the President’s ‘unflappable determination to carry on’. He added that the US character is defined throughout history by ‘courage, tenacity and the spirit of adventure’ and referenced the many meetings between Presidents and British sovereigns over the decades His concluding toast saw him amusingly thank the President for a wonderful dinner that is ‘a considerable improvement on the Boston Tea Party’. Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez were guests of the White House on Tuesday evening - with Sanchez wearing a plunging black ballgown.  Sam Altman, who is currently in a court battle with former Department of Government Efficiency leader Elon Musk, was also photographed walking through White House security.  Several conservative media personalities, including Ainsley Earhardt, Laura Ingraham, Chris Ruddy, Jesse Watters and Greg Gutfeld, also made the guest list. All three of Trump's Supreme Court appointees made the guest list - Justices Amy Coney Barrett, Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh - along with conservative Justice Samuel Alito, a Bush 43 appointee. Trump family members included Eric Trump and wife Lara, Ivanka Trump and husband Jared Kushner and Tiffany Trump with her husband Michael Boulos. Melania's father, Victor Knavs, was also invited. No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. 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