Beneath King Charles’s Jokes and Decorum, a Subtle Rebuttal to Trump

The Royals’

U.S. Visit

live

Updates

April 28, 2026, 7:45 p.m. ET

What to Know

Exchanging Gifts

Epstein Scandal Looms Over Trip

Prince Harry

You have a preview view of this article while we are checking your access. When we have confirmed access, the full article content will load.

Beneath King Charles’s Jokes and Decorum, a Subtle Rebuttal to Trump

King Charles III gently pushed back against President Trump’s attacks on Britain and NATO.

King Charles III speaking at the Capitol on Tuesday.

Credit...

Salwan Georges for The New York Times

Skip to content

Skip to site index

Beneath King Charles’s Jokes and Decorum, a Subtle Rebuttal to Trump

King Charles III gently pushed back against President Trump’s attacks on Britain and NATO.

King Charles III speaking at the Capitol on Tuesday.

Credit...

Salwan Georges for The New York Times

Supported by

SKIP ADVERTISEMENT

Listen

· 8:07 min

Share full article

By

Michael D. Shear

and

Zolan Kanno-Youngs

Michael D. Shear is the chief U.K. correspondent and is covering the king’s trip to Washington, New York and Virginia. Zolan Kanno-Youngs is a reporter covering the White House.

April 28, 2026

King Charles III quoted Oscar Wilde, joking that the British have everything in common with America “except, of course, language.” President Trump said the morning’s gloomy rain reminded him of a “beautiful British day” and noted that his mother thought young Prince Charles was “so cute.” Both men waxed poetic about the bonds between their countries.

And yet, on the first full day of a state visit focused on the shared history between the United States and Britain, the king sprinkled in some ever-so-subtle rebuttals to Mr. Trump. He spoke on Tuesday of the value of the trans-Atlantic alliance, environmentalism and even his time in the Royal Navy, which Mr. Trump has belittled in recent weeks.

The king tucked his rejoinders into a mostly lighthearted speech to Congress, which drew both applause and laughter from the audience of Democrats and Republicans. It was only the second time a British monarch had addressed Congress.

“Please rest assured I am not here as part of some cunning rear-guard action!” the king said.

The disciplined and careful public appearances by both Charles and Mr. Trump came at a dire moment in American-British relations, arguably at their lowest point in decades over the war in Iran and Mr. Trump’s scathing attacks on NATO.

But for a day (and maybe just a day), the special relationship that has developed over the past 250 years seemed — on the surface at least — special.

In a rarity for the Trump era, the president did not veer wildly off script during the day’s mostly ceremonial events. He did not invite a horde of reporters into the Oval Office just before their meeting to field questions on Iran, the ballroom or Greenland in the presence of his visiting foreign dignitary. He did not lash out at another global ally.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and

log into

your Times account, or

subscribe

for all of The Times.

Thank you for your patience while we verify access.

Already a subscriber?

Log in

.

Want all of The Times?

Subscribe

.

Related Content

Advertisement

SKIP ADVERTISEMENT