King Charles could see his highly anticipated state visit to Washington DC thrown into uncertainty following a fresh wave of criticism from former President Donald Trump.
The US leader lashed out at the UK on social media and in public statements, branding Britain a “once great ally” and claiming Washington “didn’t need” British support in his campaign against the Islamic Republic.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey urged Sir Keir Starmer to advise the King to reconsider the April visit, warning that a royal appearance could be perceived as a diplomatic win for a president who “repeatedly insults and damages our country.”
Labour backbencher Rachael Maskell echoed the sentiment, suggesting the trip should be paused unless King Charles’s focus was on directly addressing the ongoing Middle East conflict.
Meanwhile, Green Party deputy leader Rachel Millward described the US under Trump as a “rogue state” and called the idea of a royal visit “unthinkable” at this juncture.
This comes after Trump’s latest comments aboard Air Force One, dismissing the UK’s potential deployment of aircraft carriers as unnecessary saying, “We already won.”
Downing Street confirmed that Sir Keir had a conversation with the US president, during which both leaders discussed the situation in the Middle East and ongoing military cooperation through RAF bases.
