The Controversy Surrounding the King’s State Visit to the US
The King’s state visit to the US in April has sparked significant debate, particularly after Donald Trump made disparaging remarks about Britain, including comments about the cowardice of UK soldiers. Peter Hitchens, a well-known columnist for the Mail on Sunday, has argued that this visit should be cancelled. Speaking on the latest episode of the Alas Vine & Hitchens podcast, he described it as ‘absurd and pathetic’ that King Charles would have to ‘endure’ the company of the US President next month.
In January, following his clash with NATO allies over Greenland, Mr. Trump told Fox News that he was unsure if the military alliance would support America if needed. He claimed, “We’ve never needed them… we have never really asked anything of them.” This statement was seen as a cheap shot at Britain, which had sent troops to Afghanistan. In total, 457 British armed forces personnel died during the conflict between 2001 and 2021, with 405 of those killed due to hostile action.
Al Carns, the Armed Forces minister and a former commando who served five tours in Afghanistan, emphasized that Britain had fought ‘shoulder to shoulder’ with US troops after the 9/11 attacks. Tory leader Kemi Badenoch condemned the remarks, stating, “It is a disgrace to denigrate their memory like that.”
While the outrage over Mr. Trump’s comments has been overshadowed by the war in Iran, Mr. Hitchens believes the slight against British troops should not be forgotten. He expressed his disbelief at the decision to send His Majesty the King to endure the company of President Trump. “The president the United States has spent so much of the past few days publicly and deliberately insulting this country,” he said. “He has gone so far as to insult members of our armed forces for supposed cowardice in Afghanistan, where close members of my family, I have to say, served in grave proximity to danger.”
Mr. Hitchens also suggested that withdrawing the state visit might ultimately work in the UK’s favor. “I really don’t see why we should do it. On the contrary, it would be an important gesture, which might actually get through to him,” he said. “You’ve had enough. You’ve had enough hobnobbing with our royal family as it is, and you’ve had your lot because you’ve shown no gratitude and no politeness.”
Although Mr. Trump later backtracked on his claim about British troops avoiding the front line in Afghanistan, citing the King’s concerns, his insults towards Britain continued. After the Prime Minister refused the US permission to use UK bases for offensive strikes in Iran, Mr. Trump criticized the decision, referring to Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands and stating, “That island… It’s taken three, four days for us to work out where we can land there.”
Referring to Britain’s wartime PM, whose bust sits in the Oval Office, Mr. Trump added, “This is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with.” Mr. Hitchens raised the possibility that the state visit might give Mr. Trump a boost in the midterm polls, suggesting it could help him lose the elections less badly than he otherwise would.
Mr. Hitchens is not alone in his views. Senior Government officials have called for the postponement or cancellation of Mr. Trump’s upcoming state visit until the Iran war is over and tensions with Keir Starmer have subsided. Charles and Camilla are set to fly to Washington at the end of next month for a three-day visit. However, there have been last-minute concerns about signing off the plans.
Since the plans were first drawn up, in the wake of Trump’s state visit to Britain last September, the President has included Britain in new trade tariffs, criticized it for giving up the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, and claimed that British troops avoided the frontline in Afghanistan.
To hear Peter Hitchens and Sarah Vine debate the King’s US visit in full, search for Alas Vine and Hitchens wherever you get your podcasts.
