Sawt Falasteen - 'Two kings': praise and a royal crush as Trump hosts Charles

The surprising revelation was part of a torrent of flattery, pomp and circumstance unleashed by Trump as Charles and Queen Camilla visited the White House.

For the British side it will come as a relief that Trump's gushing praise for the royals effectively papered over major diplomatic tensions over the war in Iran.

But for 79-year-old Trump -- accused by critics of wanting to be a king himself -- it seemed very personal.

In a speech on the White House lawn, the Republican recalled how his Scottish-born mother Mary loved the late queen Elizabeth II and was "glued to the television" whenever she appeared.

"I also remember her saying, very clearly, 'Charles, look, young Charles. He's so cute,'" Trump said with a chuckle.

The 77-year-old king grimaced in mock embarrassment as Trump turned to look at him, then waved as if to say carry on -- which Trump did.

"My mother, my mother, had a crush on Charles. Can you believe it? Amazing. How I wonder what she's thinking right now."

Trump then went on to hail Elizabeth, who died in 2022, as a "very, very special woman who is very greatly missed on both sides of that mighty Atlantic."

- 'Live in Buckingham Palace' -

Moments before the royals arrived, Trump had joked about being in line to the British throne.

"Wow, that's nice. I've always wanted to live in Buckingham Palace!!!" Trump posted on his Truth Social network about a story in the Daily Mail saying he and Charles were very distant cousins.

"I'll talk to the King and Queen about this in a few minutes!!!"

The White House was even less subtle. "TWO KINGS," it posted on X, with a crown emoji and a picture of Charles and Trump.

For Trump's critics, it was a all little close to the bone.

Trump's assault on the limits on presidential power, and his renaming of buildings after himself and grand plans for a triumphal arch, have sparked a series of "No Kings" protests during his second term.

Trump meanwhile admitted that it was "ironic" to be giving such a pomp-filled welcome to a British monarch in the 250th anniversary of US independence from the British crown.

But British officials will have been relieved to hear Trump say that the United States had "no closer friends" than the British.

It came as a stark contrast to his recent tirades against British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for failing to back the Iran war.

Trump went further, hailing the the two countries' long history of military cooperation, despite recently mocking Britain's navy.

"The soldiers who once called each other Redcoats and Yankees became the Tommies and the GIs who together saved the free world," he said.

- 'Anglo-Saxon courage' -

The US president appeared in a jovial mood, even joking about the length of his own marriage to Melania Trump -- a day after calling for the sacking of comedian Jimmy Kimmel for likening the First Lady to an "expectant widow."

Kimmel made the joke days before an alleged attempt to assassinate the president.

Yet Trump's speech also struck an unexpected note.

Despite American pride at ousting the British to create their own nation 250 years ago, the Republican leader repeatedly emphasized the common heritage between Britain and the United States.

He even hailed Britain's role in colonizing North America -- a controversial subject given the atrocities against native people by waves of European conquerors who crossed the Atlantic.

"Here on a wild and untamed continent, they set loose the ancient English love of liberty," Trump said.

Trump's remarks played into his nationalist administration's wider rejection of "woke" history, in favor of celebrating white, European culture and downplaying colonial excess and slavery.

And Britain, Trump said, was a part of his version of the American story.

"The American patriots who pledged their lives to independence in 1776, were the heirs to this majestic inheritance," Trump said.

"Their veins ran with Anglo-Saxon courage."

R.Shaban--SF-PST