Charles III warns Trump that allied unity is essential for global security

WashingtonAfter days of dazzling sunshine in Washington, the city's sky has conjured up a more British welcome for the crown of England. Umbrellas were the silent companions in the halls of Congress today, despite staying outside the House of Representatives where Charles III addressed the joint session of Congress this Tuesday. Despite the protocol rhetoric, the king sent a clear message: the need to defend NATO in the face of Donald Trump's repeated threats to unilaterally abandon the Alliance due to Europeans' refusal to help him in his war with Iran. Despite being a thorny issue, the royal was met with a grateful audience, which erupted in standing ovations when the monarch began his speech by recalling the reason for the visit: the 250th anniversary of the independence of the USA from the United Kingdom.

"In the immediate aftermath of September 11, when NATO invoked Article 5 for the first time and the United Nations Security Council stood united against terror, we answered the call together, just as our people have done for over a century, closely, through two world wars, the Cold War, the war in Afghanistan, and moments that have defined our shared security," Charles III politely recalled, before adding: "Today, Mr. Speaker, the same unwavering determination is needed for the defense of Ukraine and its brave people, to ensure a truly just and lasting peace." The statement was met with another wave of standing ovations. The monarch once again put Kyiv on the map at a time when the European conflict has been overshadowed by the smoke from the fire in the Middle East.

The king spoke for 29 minutes under the watchful eye of Vice President J.D. Vance – who is also President of the Senate – and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Republican Mike Johnson. Among the members of the executive cabinet, two absences were notable. Despite being a historic visit to celebrate 250 years of transatlantic relations, the Secretary of State and head of diplomacy, Marco Rubio, was not among the listeners. Nor was the Secretary of Defense, Pete Hegseth. The head of the Pentagon did not attend, even though the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, did.

Charles III addressed the joint session of Congress 35 years after his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II, did so in May 1991. At that time, the monarch praised the close relationship between the two countries after the United Kingdom participated in the Gulf War alongside George Bush's administration. "It was the [Gulf] post-war position that the United Kingdom and the United States worked together for the common good," he said. His son's intervention today, although also marked by the shadow of war, has been radically different. Rather than celebrating, the Briton has called for the preservation of defense ties: "I pray with all my heart that our alliance continues to defend our shared values, with our partners in Europe, the Commonwealth, and around the world, and that we ignore the voices calling us to increasingly turn inward."

Politely, the monarch reminded the occupant of the White House that his presidency will be reduced to another anecdote in the historic relationship. "As President Trump himself observed during his state visit to Great Britain last autumn, the bond of kinship and identity between America and the United Kingdom is invaluable and eternal. It is irreplaceable and unbreakable," stated Charles III. With this quote, the monarch also ensured that the tycoon would grasp at least one of the many rebuttals he had made between the lines.

In case any detail was missed, King Charles grounded the rhetoric by recalling how "today, hundreds of American personnel, defense officials, and their families are stationed in the United Kingdom." He also mentioned the joint production of F-35 fighter jets and the AUKUS agreement, signed under Joe Biden's presidency, which also includes Australia.

Defense of the British Navy

The United Kingdom's refusal to cooperate with Trump's war against Iran has become one of the new low points in their two-and-a-half-century relationship. Beyond the usual attacks on British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the US president has been particularly aggressive towards one of the symbols of national pride: the British navy, whose ships he has called a "toy." The king has not made direct reference to the insult to the navy, as expected. But he has thrown a small velvet knife at Trump. "During part [of the Cold War], more than fifty years ago, I proudly served in the Royal British Navy," the king recalled, after reviewing the entire royal lineage that had also served in the corps: from his father, Prince Philip, to King George V. A sufficiently mild reference so that the republican would not interpret it as an attack, but that subjects could see it as a defense of the homeland.

Practically, the king has delivered on all the talking points that were expected. Throughout his speech, he also highlighted, in one way or another, the long and "deep" relationship between the two nations. A friendship "for which we are deeply grateful to the American people" and which he defined as "unique."

Beyond NATO, Charles III also emphasized the importance of the fight against climate change: "As we look towards the next 250 years, we must also reflect on our shared responsibility to protect nature, our most precious and irreplaceable asset." These words, although also applauded by the chamber, were not celebrated by Vice President Vance. One of the first executive orders Trump signed upon returning to the White House was to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement.

No reference to the Epstein case

The Epstein case has been the elephant in the room today. Charles III addressed the same Congress that forced the publication of over 3 million new documents about the child abuser Jeffrey Epstein and which at the beginning of the year unleashed an earthquake in the United Kingdom. In fact, the new documents about the child abuser and his child trafficking ring, instead of shaking the White House, once again aired the dirty laundry of the British crown. The ex-prince Andrew – the king's younger brother – gifted the English press a new front page after spending twelve hours detained at a Thames Valley Police station due to the new revelations about his relationship with Epstein. twelve hours detained at a Thames Valley Police station due to the new revelations about his relationship with Epstein.

Four hours before the king entered the chamber, the metropolitan police had been examining all the empty seats in the lower chamber with flashlights. The explosives detection dog was parading through the press gallery as well as the rows of legislators' seats. On the staircase leading up to the third floor, federal agents were also parading, wearing bulletproof vests with the acronyms of the Department of Homeland Security.

After the thwarted assassination attempt, Trump had assured that all necessary security measures would be taken for the state visit. Even so, this morning the security check to access the Capitol was the same as every day for workers and accredited press: the metal detector scanner. However, just like during the State of the Union address, you could only be in the press room if you had a ticket for the event.