King Charles Subtly Criticises Donald Trump In US Congress Speech

King Charles subtly took Donald Trump to task during a historic speech to the US Congress.

The monarch made clear his opposition to the US president’s policies in a range of areas, including on climate change and his approach to Nato.

American lawmakers, Supreme Court justices and US military officials gave His Majesty no fewer than 12 standing ovations in a speech in which he also hailed the “truly unique” alliance between Britain and the States.

King Charles and Queen Camilla are on a state visit to America at a time when relations between the UK and US are at their lowest ebb in decades.

President Trump has repeatedly attacked Keir Starmer for refusing to back the Iran war, and regularly criticised the Labour government’s record on immigration and oil and gas exploration in the North Sea.

However, King Charles insisted the relationship between the two countries “is more important today than it has ever been”.

But in a notably political speech, the monarch left no doubt about where his views differ from those of Trump.

In the most pointed section of his address, the king took issue with the president’s repeated claims that Nato has never helped America.

He said: ”“In the immediate aftermath of 9/11, when Nato invoked Article 5 for the first time, and the United Nations Security Council was united in the face of terror, we answered the call together as our people have done so for more than a century, shoulder to shoulder, through two world wars, the Cold War, Afghanistan and moments that have defined our shared security.”

In an apparent rebuke of Trump’s scepticism about climate change, King Charles spoke about the “disastrously melting ice-caps of the Arctic”.

He also appeared to hit out at the president’s threats to invade Greenland, which belongs to fellow Nato member Denmark, pointing out the military alliance was “pledged to each other’s defence, protecting our citizens and interests, keeping North Americans and Europeans safe from our common adversaries”.

Pleading for an end to wars like the one in Iran, the king said: “iI is my hope – my prayer – that, in these turbulent times, working together and with our international partners, we can stem the beating of ploughshares into swords.”

As head of the British armed forces, the king also mounted a stout defence of the Royal Navy, which has been criticised by both Trump his Pete Hegseth, the US defence secretary.

“I served with immense pride in the Royal Navy, following in the naval footsteps of my father, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh; my grandfather, King George VI; my great-uncle, Lord Mountbatten; and my great-grandfather, King George V.”

The king also appeared to make a plea to US lawmakers to make greater use of the powers they have to keep Trump in check.

He said: “The US Supreme Court Historical Society has calculated that Magna Carta is cited in at least 160 Supreme Court cases since 1789, not least as the foundation of the principle that executive power is subject to checks and balances.”

King Charles had earlier visited the White House, where Trump had joked that his mother had had a crush on him when he was young prince.

Turmp also praised the “special relationship” between America and the UK, telling the king “we hope it will always remain that way”.

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