‘Trump is harmful unfastened cannon and crossed main royal line with Iran remark’
For all his heavily scripted comments this week, on America’s bond and respect for Britain, and his willingness to enshrine the special relationship, Trump is a dangerous loose cannon
The King laughs during the state dinner at the White House(Image: AP)
Just when was all going so well for Trump and his charm offensive with the royals. After surprisingly saying he was “very jealous” of the King’s historic address to Congress, where Charles stressed the importance of collaboration between America and its allies, the Nato alliance and standing up for justice and peace around the world, the President crossed a line.
The King received a dozen standing ovations from the House, where he eloquently and diplomatically espoused the virtues of both Britain and the United States joining forces to stand on the right side of history, and the need to recognise the importance they play in standing up for what is just and right such as Ukraine’s right to sovereignty, Trump controversially declared Charles “agrees with me” on his Iran should never have nuclear weapons.
At last night’s glittering State Dinner at the White House, Trump made the remarks after the two men sat down to private talks earlier that day. As head of state, the monarch typically stands above party politics and remains neutral. The cavalier remarks risk drawing the monarch into the political row over the crisis in the Middle East.
I was in the room when Trump made his shocking statement, to audible gasps from the travelling press pack. While the Foreign Secretary nodded at Trump’s comments, in line with British foreign policy, dragging the King into such a diplomatic nightmare shows this President’s distinct lack of class and understanding of the discretion needed in such matters.
Somewhat more diplomatically Buckingham Palace said: “The King is naturally mindful of his Government’s long-standing and well-known position on the prevention of nuclear proliferation.”
For all his heavily scripted comments this week, on America’s bond and respect for Britain, and his willingness to enshrine the special relationship , Trump is a dangerous loose cannon. Within hours of the state dinner, Trump posted a crass AI generated image on social media, depicting himself holding a machine gun against a fiery backdrop with yet another threat to Iran.
While Downing Street, which has come in from some of the worst of Trump’s criticism of late, will have been hoping the King could smooth over the cracks of the damaged union, this is what they are dealing with. A mad man who has no regard for the values that Charles so eloquently championed, and for whom words and more despairingly, history, has no meaning.
