Trump claims King Charles 'agrees' Iran shouldn't have nuclear weapon in banquet speech — BBC News

[0:00] We start in the U.S., where President Trump has called the bond between the U.S. and the [0:04] U.K. a friendship unlike any other on Earth, in a speech at a state dinner which was attended [0:10] by King Charles and Queen Camilla. The King also praised the historic ties between the [0:16] two countries, calling it an indispensable alliance. In a speech peppered with jokes [0:21] that touched on shared transatlantic history, Charles again reiterated the importance of [0:27] the NATO alliance, as he had done in his earlier speech to the Congress. King and Queen are [0:33] on a four-day state visit to mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. [0:38] Later, the royal couple will visit New York, where they'll remember the victims of the [0:44] 9-11 terror attacks. Here's our senior royal correspondent, Daniela Relf. [0:56] The centerpiece of any state visit is a lavish dinner, a chance to put on a show for your [1:02] guests, and President Trump revelled in his hosting duties. [1:06] Thank you very much, please. [1:08] During his speech at the dinner, the president told the golfer, Rory McIlroy, to stand up to [1:14] celebrate his recent win at the Masters. And as well as talking about friendship and shared [1:19] ambitions, the president also spoke of the conflict in Iran, telling guests he and the [1:26] King were aligned. [1:28] We're doing a little Middle East work right now, two of you might know, and we're doing [1:32] very well. We have militarily defeated that particular opponent, and we're never going [1:38] to let that opponent ever, Charles agrees with me even more than I do, we're never going to [1:44] let that opponent have a nuclear weapon. [1:46] Revealing what the King has said or thinks during private conversations is usually a diplomatic [1:53] no-go area, but it seems not for the president. In the King's dinner speech, he heaped praise [2:00] on Donald Trump and the transatlantic bonds. [2:04] Tonight, we are here to renew an indispensable allowance which has long been a cornerstone [2:11] of prosperity and security for both British and American citizens. Our people have fought [2:18] and fallen together in defence of the values we cherish across the ocean, and from coast [2:25] to coast, we have traded, innovated, and created together. We've stood together through the best [2:33] and worst of time. [2:37] Earlier, the King's address to Congress was more politically pointed, with references [2:42] to NATO and Ukraine, as his words prompted 12 standing ovations. [2:47] After the diplomatic drama in Washington, the King and Queen move to New York today. This [3:00] year is the 25th anniversary of the 9-11 attacks, and they'll meet emergency teams who worked [3:06] that day, and the families of victims. Daniela Ralph, BBC News, New York. [3:12] And North America correspondent Peter Bowes gave his analysis of the King's speech. [3:17] It was a fascinating speech in many respects. I think fascinating for the diplomacy that was [3:22] involved there. And it's clear that there were some subtle criticisms of the president, especially [3:29] when they weren't particularly high-profile, but the King talked about some of his environmental [3:34] views, that we know that Donald Trump certainly isn't on the same page in terms of that issue. [3:40] But then, when Donald Trump at the banquet started his speech, he congratulated the King [3:46] on having made a fantastic speech. So, it doesn't look as if Donald Trump has been affected or even offended [3:55] by anything that King said. In fact, quite the opposite. I think he certainly enjoyed that speech, [4:02] and, indeed, the entire day. He has reveled in this occasion, I think, Donald Trump. [4:07] But, as far as the King was concerned, I think, clearly, he did have an important role here in [4:12] terms of diplomacy and trying to perhaps mend some relations between the two countries politically. [4:19] I don't know whether it's achieved that. Of course, Sir Keir Starmer and Donald Trump haven't [4:24] seen eye-to-eye over Iran. And Donald Trump has been strongly criticizing NATO. And it was [4:30] striking to me that the King returned to NATO when he spoke at the banquet. This is something [4:35] he talked about during his Congress speech. But he once again came back to that subject. [4:41] And the striking quote, you just mentioned it in the headlines, talking about NATO to ensure [4:45] that, together, we can meet the challenges of an increasingly complex and contested world. [4:51] The views of the King, I think, are very well experienced in dealing with these things over [4:58] decades. And I think if anything is going to affect Donald Trump and perhaps change his [5:05] attitudes, it is the words of the King. [5:08] Well, royal historian and author Dr Ed Owens talked to us about how the visit is going so far. [5:14] Yesterday was the centerpiece day of this state visit, particularly the speech to Congress. [5:21] And I think also after the state banquet last night, the King will be feeling very happy indeed. [5:26] I think, as on so many occasions before, the King's speeches here were perfectly pitched to the audience. [5:32] If we think about the speech to Congress, there were many references back to American independence, [5:39] the founding fathers, the fact that when the 13 American colonies broke away from the British Empire, [5:46] that was clearly a moment of discontent, of tension between the two countries. [5:52] And in that way, alluded, if you like, to the to the current tensions that exist between the USA and the UK as well, [6:01] because the King then moved on to talk about how those tensions and difficulties were worked through. [6:07] And in fact, you know, an alliance emerge that has been strong, enduring and very meaningful to both countries. [6:14] And what he was hinting at there very much was that despite the current challenges of the relationship between the White House and Keir Starmer's government, [6:23] clearly a brighter future awaits. [6:26] And that part of being an ally, part of being the closest of friends is working through difficulties together [6:33] and coming through those difficulties in order to reinvigorate the friendship.