"Battle of the Two Kings" in Washington - how Charles III and Trump joked about each other
Kyiv • UNN
King Charles III discussed the war with Trump and joked about U.S. history. In Congress, the monarch called for decisive support for Ukraine for the sake of peace.
The state visit of King Charles III of Great Britain to the USA turned into not only a diplomatic event but also a kind of verbal duel with President Donald Trump. During meetings at the White House and Congress, jokes, historical barbs, and important signals regarding support for Ukraine were heard, UNN reports.
American and British media have already called the British monarch's four-day visit to Washington, New York, and Virginia one of the most striking in recent years.
Historical trolling at the White House
During an official reception at the White House, Charles III responded to one of Trump's recent statements, in which he claimed that without the US, Europeans would supposedly be speaking German.
Mr. President, you recently said that if it weren't for the US, European countries would be speaking German. Allow me to say that if it weren't for us, you would be speaking French,
The remark drew laughter from the room and became one of the most quoted phrases of the visit.
Another joke concerned the White House renovation being carried out by the Trump administration. The King hinted that the British already had experience in "remodeling" the US President's residence.
We already tried to do some remodeling of the White House back in 1814,
This refers to the War of 1812, when British troops entered Washington and burned the White House.
Trump responded with symbolism
The American President also prepared his own gesture. For the British monarch's welcoming ceremony, he deployed an honor guard in uniforms from the time of the 18th-century American Revolution – the war in which the US gained independence from the British Empire.
A positive signal for Ukraine
Charles III's speech in the US Congress drew special attention. The British monarch directly mentioned Ukraine and called for decisive support for Kyiv.
According to him, the world is experiencing a time of great instability – from Europe to the Middle East – which requires the unity of democratic states. The King emphasized that "unwavering resolve" is necessary to protect Ukraine and its people, which should lead to a "just and lasting peace."
He also called the alliance between Britain and the US a unique partnership that is more important today than ever.
Conversation about Putin
According to the New York Post, during the White House reception, Trump unexpectedly brought up the topic of Russia in a conversation with the King. The tabloid cited lip-reading experts.
According to this version, Trump said: "Now I'm dealing with Putin. He wants war."
Charles III reportedly replied: "We'll discuss that later."
After this, the US President added: "I have a feeling... If he does what he said, he'll destroy the whole population."
There is no official confirmation of the content of this conversation.
Symbolic diplomacy
Despite the jokes and barbs, the visit itself had a serious goal – to stabilize relations between London and Washington amid disagreements over Iran, trade, and security.
Ultimately, the meeting of the two political heavyweights showed that even under tense international circumstances, diplomacy can combine humor, historical allusions, and important signals for allies, particularly Ukraine.