Donald Trump said Sir Keir Starmer must learn to deal like King Charles to improve the relationship between the United Kingdom and the U.S.
The comment highlights the friction between the former U.S. president and the current British leadership. By contrasting the monarch's diplomatic style with that of the prime minister, Trump is signaling his expectations for how the UK should manage its special relationship with Washington.
Speaking in a telephone interview with Sky News, Trump said he praised the King's recent speech to Congress. The remarks came on the third day [1] of the state visit to the U.S. by King Charles and Queen Camilla.
"Your prime minister has to learn to deal the way he deals, and he'll do a lot better," Trump said.
Trump used the interview to criticize Starmer's handling of UK-US relations. He said the prime minister's current approach is less effective than the poise and diplomacy exhibited by the King during the royal visit.
The former president's comments coincide with the high-profile diplomatic events in Washington D.C. While the King's visit focuses on ceremonial and symbolic ties, Trump's intervention brings political tension back into the conversation, specifically regarding the ability of the UK government to negotiate effectively with American leadership.
Starmer has not yet issued a formal response to the suggestion that he should emulate the monarch's dealing style. The exchange underscores a recurring theme in Trump's interactions with foreign leaders, where he often praises individual personalities while criticizing the institutional or political strategies of the governments they represent.
“"Your prime minister has to learn to deal the way he deals, and he'll do a lot better,"”
This interaction reflects Trump's preference for personalized, transactional diplomacy over traditional bureaucratic statecraft. By praising the King, Trump is not necessarily endorsing the British monarchy's political power, but rather the specific style of engagement that he finds productive. For Starmer, the comment serves as a public critique of his diplomatic standing with a key American political figure.
