Trump Vows to Discuss ‘Everything’ With Charles During US State Visit ― but Will That Include Harry?
Bypassing the UK government, Trump signals a major policy shift on the energy crisis and ceasefire during King Charles’s historic US visit.
With the UK and the US readying for a historic royal state visit — the first of its kind in nearly twenty years — the air across the Atlantic is thick with more than just the usual diplomatic ceremony. Signaling a candid exchange, President Donald Trump has confirmed his plans to discuss ‘everything’ with King Charles during the four-day tour, a conversation that could determine their ‘special relationship.’ Marking the 250th anniversary of American independence, the monarch and Queen Camilla are set to be honored at a White House banquet, followed by Charles’ joint meeting with Congress. But beyond the formality of the visit lie a minefield of geopolitical tensions, including the Iran conflict, trade wars, and Trump’s brewing personal feud with Prince Harry.
Ahead of the monarch’s 27th April arrival, Trump spoke to Reuters, clarifying that no topic is off-limits. He said, “I’m going to talk about everything...I'm going to talk about it. He is a friend of mine, and he is a great guy,” noting that the ongoing Iran war and NATO’s future will be high on his agenda. Tensions between the two nations have only intensified after US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth recently dismissed British and French naval efforts in the Strait of Hormuz as ‘silly’ — meaning the stakes could not be higher. With a global energy crisis loitering in the background of an uneasy ceasefire, the President expects the King to hear a very different perspective than that of the UK government.
Apart from the political climate, economic friction is also set to take center stage in their conversation. The US President has signaled that he will pressure King Charles over the UK’s 2% digital services tax on US tech giants, a move following his previous threats of a ‘big tariff’ if the levy isn’t dropped. While Trump maintains a respectful tone towards the monarch — calling him a ‘great man’ — the same cannot be said for his view of Prince Harry. The Duke of Sussex’s surprise visit to Ukraine recently enraged the President after he urged ‘American leadership’ to ramp up efforts to end the Russian invasion.
While speaking at the Kyiv Security Forum, the Prince reminded the US of its historical commitments, saying, “This is a moment for American leadership… to show that it can honour its international treaty obligations – not out of charity but out of its enduring role in global security and strategic stability.” Trump, never one to let a slight pass, issued a stinging eight-word response when asked about Harry’s intervention. “Prince Harry is not speaking for the UK, that's for sure,” he added. The President doubled down on the snub, adding, “I think I'm speaking for the UK more than Prince Harry, that's for sure. But thank him for his advice.”
It remains to be seen if Trump’s ‘talk about everything’ policy involves discussing the Duke’s political activism with the King. Despite the sovereign’s expectation to remain strictly non-political, the US President’s tendency to be blunt suggests that Prince Harry may be the elephant in the room at the White House dinner.
