King Charles says US ‘lies at the heart of Nato’ in historic Congress speech after Trump’s threats to leave
King Charles emphasized the United States' central role in NATO during a historic address to Congress, subtly countering former President Donald Trump's threats to withdraw from the alliance. He reaffirmed the UK’s commitment to defense spending and highlighted the enduring UK-US partnership amid geopolitical tensions. The speech, delivered during a state visit marking the 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, also touched on shared democratic values, climate change, and support for Ukraine. Charles called for unity in defending shared values and referenced recent events, including a shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
- ▪King Charles became only the second British monarch to address a joint session of the U.S. Congress, following Queen Elizabeth II in 1991.
- ▪His speech underscored U.S. leadership in NATO, seen as a response to Trump’s repeated threats to leave the alliance if allies don’t increase defense contributions.
- ▪The King announced the UK’s largest sustained defense spending increase since the Cold War, addressing concerns about European reliance on U.S. military power.
- ▪He referenced the 9/11 attacks and Article 5 of NATO to emphasize continued solidarity, particularly in support of Ukraine’s defense against Russia.
- ▪Charles also addressed climate change and democratic resilience, while making indirect remarks about supporting victims of societal ills, possibly alluding to the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
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NewsUKHome NewsKing Charles says US ‘lies at the heart of Nato’ in historic Congress speech after Trump’s threats to leaveUS president has repeatedly claimed other members of the alliance do not contribute enoughJane Dalton Tuesday 28 April 2026 21:05 BSTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popover{"translations":{"comments":"Go to comments","share":"Share","copyLink":"Copy link","bookmark":"Bookmark","removeBookmark":"Remove bookmark"},"showComments":true,"showBookmark":true,"articleId":"b2966673","articleMeta":{"url":"https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/king-trump-speech-royal-visit-white-house-b2966673.html","title":"King says US ‘lies at the heart of Nato’ in rebuke to Trump’s threats to leave"}}King Charles says US ‘lies at the heart…
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