Donald Trump is making headlines again — and this time, he’s dragging King Charles into the middle of a political firestorm.
Just weeks before the British monarch is expected to travel to the United States for a major state visit, Trump made the jaw-dropping claim that Charles privately supports his military action against Iran, even as the U.K.’s elected government has firmly rejected the conflict.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Trump praised the king in glowing terms and suggested Charles would have taken a much different position on the war than Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“I like him. I always liked him as a prince. He’s a good man, a great representative for your country,” Trump said. “I think he would have taken a very different stand [on the war in Iran] but he doesn’t do that. I mean, he’s a great gentleman.”
Trump also described Charles as “a friend of mine” and insisted the monarch had “nothing to do with” the growing tensions between Washington and London over the widening conflict in the Middle East.
“I have a great relationship with King Charles, I’ve known him a long time,” Trump said. “He’s a wonderful and brave man, to be honest with you. He’s been through a lot, in many ways.”
The comments immediately raised eyebrows, especially because the royal family is expected to remain politically neutral. Buckingham Palace has long avoided taking public sides on government policy, war, or party politics, and a palace source pushed back hard on the idea that Charles is aligned with Trump’s agenda.
“The king is above politics,” a Buckingham Palace source told the Daily Beast on Wednesday.
That response underscored the uncomfortable position Trump’s remarks create for the palace. By suggesting Charles privately agrees with him, Trump has effectively inserted the monarch into one of the most explosive geopolitical disputes of the moment — and into a bitter divide between the White House and Britain’s Labour government.
Charles is set to visit the United States at the end of the month in what will be his first trip to America as king. It will mark his 20th visit overall, but this one is expected to carry extra weight as relations between the two allies remain strained. The full schedule has not yet been released, though the visit is expected to include a state dinner at the White House and an address to Congress.
The looming trip is already politically charged.
Trump has visited the United Kingdom twice across his two terms. He was first welcomed by Queen Elizabeth II in 2019, then hosted again last year by King Charles during a highly controversial return visit that sparked protests in Britain. Demonstrators criticized Trump over multiple issues, including his past ties to Jeffrey Epstein, and one activist group even projected an image of Trump with Epstein onto Windsor Castle during the visit.
Now, with Charles preparing to cross the Atlantic, Trump’s latest remarks risk creating even more tension before the trip has even begun.
Unlike the king, Starmer has taken a clear and public stance against Trump’s war with Iran. The British prime minister has repeatedly refused to back the military campaign, arguing that escalating the conflict would only deepen economic pain and instability as energy markets reel and the Strait of Hormuz remains heavily restricted.
Since launching the war in February, Trump has repeatedly lashed out at Starmer for refusing to fall in line. At one point, he publicly complained that Britain would not allow the United States to use U.K. airbases during the conflict.
In a March post on Truth Social, Trump mocked Britain’s delayed military posture and took a swipe at Starmer directly.
“The United Kingdom, our once Great Ally, maybe the Greatest of them all, is finally giving serious thought to sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East. That’s OK, Prime Minister Starmer, we don’t need them any longer — But we will remember,” Trump wrote. “We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won!”
Starmer, however, has refused to budge.
“This is not our war. We will not be drawn into the conflict. That is not in our national interest,” he told reporters on Wednesday. “The most effective way we can support the cost of living in Britain is to push for de-escalation in the Middle East and a re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz which is such a vital route for energy.”
That sharp contrast now defines the growing rift between the two governments. Trump is leaning into confrontation and spectacle, while Starmer is framing de-escalation as both an economic and moral necessity.
And in the middle of it all is King Charles — a monarch whose public role depends on neutrality, now being used by Trump as a symbolic weapon in an international political fight.
For critics, the moment feels deeply familiar: Trump once again appearing to blur the line between diplomacy and personal theater, while putting one of America’s closest allies in an increasingly awkward spot.
With Charles’ U.S. visit fast approaching, Trump’s comments have already ensured one thing: this trip won’t just be about pageantry, tradition, and handshakes. It will unfold under the shadow of war, political tension, and a stunning claim the palace clearly wants no part of.
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You people are so biased, it is just sickening!
Yes, King Charles is conservative and personally gets most things correct and in line with Good Trump. He also realizes that England is a small island that imports most things including oil. He also knows weak Starmer has to be dragged into reality…