During a state visit on Monday, President Trump made remarks related to the recent shooting at the White House Correspondents Dinner and discussed Russian President Vladimir Putin, just moments after King Charles III and Queen Camilla arrived at the White House.
After greeting each other on the South Lawn, Trump was seen telling lip reader Nicola Hickling, “This shooting…” regarding the incident. When King Charles jokingly replied, “You shouldn’t stay here too long,” Trump expressed, “I feel like I shouldn’t be here.”
Hickling noted that Trump inquired about Charles’s well-being, mentioning, “That’s not a good thing,” while the King suggested they discuss the matter later.
Transitioning the conversation, Trump stated, “So right now I’m talking to President Putin. He wants war.” Charles, seemingly trying to redirect the discussion, echoed, “We’ll talk about it later.”
Trump warned, “I have a hunch…if he does what he says, he’s going to wipe out the population.” Charles then remarked, “Next time,” before they shifted topics to Trump’s $400 million White House ballroom renovation.
Trump invited Charles to view the ballroom, saying, “You can see through it. I’m on my way to the ballroom. Would you like to take a look?” Charles responded that they would likely be shown the space.
The first couple guided the royal family through the White House after Charles asked for directions, to which Trump pointed out the presidential palace.
They enjoyed a traditional British afternoon tea that included small sandwiches, mini cakes, and loose leaf tea. After their time at the White House, the King and Queen attended a garden party hosted by the British ambassador.
Notable guests included House Speaker Mike Johnson, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Senator Ted Cruz. British Olympic diver Tom Daly flew in from Los Angeles and connected with the King over a shared interest in knitting. Daly shared that the King had tried knitting as a child and might consider picking it up again due to its mental health benefits, expressing a desire to incorporate it into school programs.
This four-day state visit will feature a speech by the King to a joint session of Congress on Tuesday and a state dinner in the White House. On Wednesday, they plan to visit the 9/11 memorial in Lower Manhattan.
