Trump Hosts King Charles at the White House; Declares 'No Closer Friends Than the British' Amid Trade Tensions

President Trump welcomed King Charles III and Queen Camilla to the White House on April 28 for a state visit, declaring that 'Americans have had no closer friends than the British.' The royal visit comes at a fraught moment for US-UK relations, with ongoing trade negotiations and tariff tensions straining the special relationship. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has been seeking exemptions from the Trump administration's sweeping tariff regime, and the pomp and ceremony of a state visit is viewed as an effort to bolster diplomatic ties amid trade friction. Queen Camilla and First Lady Melania Trump also attended events as part of the visit. The visit followed a phone call earlier in the week in which PM Starmer called Trump to express relief after the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting.