US3 min(s) read
Published 09:04 28 Apr 2026 GMT
Reports suggest that Donald Trump issued a warning to King Charles III about Vladimir Putin during a private moment at the White House, with a lip reader claiming to have picked up on their hushed exchange.
The King and Queen Camilla were welcomed to Washington as part of a four-day state visit, arriving at a time of heightened tension between the UK and US, particularly surrounding the ongoing Iran war, and just days after the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting.
As Trump and Melania Trump greeted the royal couple on the South Lawn, cameras captured a brief but inaudible conversation between the two leaders.
According to lip reader Nicola Hickling, who spoke to the Daily Mail, Trump appeared to reference the recent shooting incident, saying: “This shooting …”
The King reportedly responded cautiously, with Hickling interpreting his reply as: “I'd rather not stand about here too long… I feel I shouldn't be here.”
Trump then seemingly checked in on the monarch, adding: “It's not a good thing. I wasn't prepared, but now I am prepared.”
The conversation is said to have then shifted toward global tensions, with Trump allegedly telling the King: “So right now, I am talking to Putin… He wants war.”
Hickling claims King Charles attempted to defer the discussion, suggesting: “Another time.” But Trump reportedly continued, warning: “I've got a feeling… if he did what he said, he will wipe out the population.”
The exchange, if accurately interpreted by Hickling in this instance, hints at a tense and serious moment behind what was otherwise a ceremonial and amicable welcome for the UK's head of state from the leader of the divisive leader of the US.
During the visit, King Charles is expected to address Congress, where he will highlight the long-standing relationship between the UK and US, describing it as “one of the greatest alliances in human history.” He is also expected to stress the importance of shared values, noting that defending them is “crucial for liberty and equality.”
The speech will likely acknowledge current strains between Washington and London, particularly between Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, while also emphasizing unity.
In a show of solidarity, the King is also expected to reference the recent shooting, offering “the highest regard and friendship of the British people to the people of the United States” as the country approaches the 250th anniversary of its independence.
The address will mark only the second time a British monarch has spoken before a joint session of Congress, following Queen Elizabeth II in 1991.
