Charles III warns Trump that unity with NATO is essential for global security
It is the second time in history that a British monarch addresses the joint session of Congress
WashingtonAfter days of dazzling sunshine in Washington, the city's sky has conspired to give a more British welcome to the crown of England. Umbrellas were today the silent companions in the corridors of the Capitol, even though they remained 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 against Donald Trump's repeated threats to unilaterally abandon the Alliance due to Europeans' refusal to help him in his war with Iran. Although it is a thorny issue, the royal had a grateful audience, which erupted in standing ovations when the monarch began his speech recalling the reason for the visit: the 250th anniversary of the US independence 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 in the face of terror, we answered the call together – as our people have done for more than a century, closely, through two World Wars, the Cold War, Afghanistan, and moments that have defined our shared security," Charles III recalled politely, before adding: "Today, Mr. Speaker, the same unwavering determination is needed for the defense of Ukraine and its brave people, in order to ensure a truly just and lasting peace." The speech led to another wave of standing ovations. The monarch once again put Kyiv on the map at a time when the European conflict has been hidden behind the smoke of the fire in the Middle East.
The king spoke for 20 minutes under the watchful eye of Vice President JD Vance – who is also the President of the Senate – and the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the Majority Leader 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, although the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dan Caine, did.
to spend 12 hours detained at Thames Valley Police stationPolitely, the monarch reminded the occupant of the White House that his presidency will be reduced to just 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,'" he stated. With this quote, the monarch also ensured that the tycoon would grasp at least one of the many implicit rebukes he had made.
In case any detail was missed, Charles III 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 and which also includes Australia.
The United Kingdom's refusal to cooperate with Trump's war against Iran has become one of the new low points in the 250 years of friendship that frame the state visit. Beyond the usual attacks on the British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, in recent days the US president has been particularly aggressive with one of the symbols of national pride: the British Navy, whose ships he has described as "toys". The King made no direct reference to the insult to the Navy, as expected. But he used royal diplomacy to send Trump a small velvet dagger. "For part of [the Cold War], more than 50 years ago, I served with great pride in the Royal British Navy," the King recalled, after reviewing the entire royal lineage that had also served in the corps: from his father, the Duke of Edinburgh, to King George V. A sufficiently subtle reference so that the republican does not interpret it as an attack, but so that the subjects can see it as a defense of the homeland.
Practically, the King has met all the talking points that were expected. Throughout his speech, he also reiterated, in one way or another, the long and "deep" relationship between the two nations. A friendship "for which we are profoundly 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 to the next 250 years, we must also reflect on our shared responsibility to protect nature, our most precious and irreplaceable asset".
The Epstein case has been one of the many elephants in the room today. Charles III addressed the same Congress that forced the publication of over 3 million new documents on the pederast Jeffrey Epstein and which at the beginning of the year unleashed an earthquake in the United Kingdom. In fact, the new documents about the pederast and his child trafficking ring, instead of shaking the White House, have once again aired the dirty laundry of the British crown. The ex-prince Andrew - the King's younger brother - gave the English press a new front page after spending 12 hours detained at a Thames Valley Police station due to new revelations about his relationship with Epstein.
Four hours before the king entered the chamber, the Capitol police had been examining with a flashlight all the empty seats in the lower chamber. The explosives detection dog walked through the press gallery and the rows of legislators' seats. Federal agents, wearing bulletproof vests with the National Security department's acronyms, also walked up the steps to the third floor. After the frustrated assassination attempt, Trump had assured that all necessary security measures would be taken for the state visit. Nevertheless, this morning the security control to access the Capitol was the same as every day for workers and accredited press: the metal detector scanner. However, as during the state of the nation's address, one could only be in the press room if they had a ticket for the event.
