Donald Trump has praised “brave” King Charles for pressing on with his state visit to America, despite the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the weekend.
Travel as Planned
The British monarch and his wife, Queen Camilla, four-day trip to the US in doubt. An armed man allegedly stormed security at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and fired a gun on Saturday (25.04.26). This caused the US president, his wife, Melania, and Vice President JD Vance to be evacuated from the Washington Hilton.
However, it has been confirmed that the royal couple will travel as planned on Monday (27.04.26). The Commander-in-Chief is looking forward to spending time with them.
Speaking on 60 Minutes, Trump said: “[The King] is a great guy, and we look forward to it. He’s really a fantastic person and a tremendous representative, and he’s brave.
“We’re gonna have a great time, and he represents his nation like nobody else can.”
Sir Christian Turner, the British ambassador in Washington, is “very confident” in the security measures that have been put in place for Charles and Camilla’s visit. It marks the 250th anniversary of the US Declaration of Independence.
He told CBS News: “Our team has been in touch through the night and will be through the day to see whether the events of last night have any change in our operational planning.
“I’m very confident that Their Majesties will have the very best security throughout the visit.
“I mean, [it’s] a sombre background after last night for all of us. But I still hope we’ll be able to showcase this moment and make it the celebration that it deserves to be.”
During the visit, the king and queen will stay at Blair House, across the road from the White House. They will be under the protection of the US Secret Service, as well as traveling with a British security team.
Heightened Security
It is believed that two planned engagements on the trip will be reshaped to reflect the heightened security environment. However, the overall itinerary will not change.
A Buckingham Palace spokesperson said the confirmation came after a full day of cross‑Atlantic discussions and government advice. They added that the royal couple was grateful for the swift work carried out to keep the visit on track.
They told several outlets: “Following discussions on both sides of the Atlantic through the day, and acting on advice of Government, we can confirm the State Visit by Their Majesties will proceed as planned.
“The King and Queen are most grateful to all those who have worked at pace to ensure this remains the case and are looking forward to the visit getting underway.”