Donald Trump reportedly enjoyed his state visit to the UK from September 16-18. He especially enjoyed hanging out with King Charles, Queen Camilla and the Prince and Princess of Wales. They rolled out the red carpet for this white supremacist and fascist, even inventing a bizarre carriage-ride-to-nowhere procession with no audience. The Windsors patted themselves on the back for how well it all went. Then, just a few days ago, the Mirror reported that Trump complained about being shown too many “beautiful things” at Windsor Castle and “I have seen every memorial and they’re beautiful but now I’ve had enough.” Trump apparently promised Charles that if the king came to Washington, they would just have dinner and Trump wouldn’t drag him to the Lincoln Memorial. Still, whatever private talks Trump and Charles had, they seemed to involve Ukraine. I give Charles a lot of well-deserved sh-t, but he’s been really solid on Ukraine, and he’s gone above and beyond to stand up for Ukraine and President Zelenskyy. Well, now Charles is being credited for Trump’s volte-face on Ukraine.
Donald Trump performed one of his famous about-turns on the subject of Ukraine this week, declaring it could and should win the war against Russia, and this time the unlikely catalyst appears to have been King Charles. According to a report in the Daily Telegraph, Volodymyr Zelensky’s chief of staff said: “I’d like to mention that it was a great visit of President Trump to the United Kingdom, and I know the position of His Majesty, the position of Prime Minister Starmer and the people whom President Trump met … it was very important.”
The Telegraph cited “diplomatic sources” as saying that the timing of Trump’s change of heart, after meeting the king, was “no coincidence.” The newspaper said the two men discussed Ukraine in private meetings.
At the state dinner, Trump nodded and smiled as Charles said: “Our countries have the closest defence, security and intelligence relationship ever known. In two world wars, we fought together to defeat the forces of tyranny. Today, as tyranny once again threatens Europe, we and our allies stand together in support of Ukraine, to deter aggression and secure peace.”
The sovereign is not supposed to intervene in politics, but Charles has long flouted the custom. Even as Prince of Wales, he was notorious for dispatching “black spider memos” to ministers, lobbying them on everything from architecture to agriculture. Prime ministers rolled their eyes at his zeal but usually humored him. What has changed since his accession is not his appetite for influence but the stakes. The war in Ukraine is not an eccentric passion project; it is a matter of Europe’s survival. And by all appearances, Charles has chosen to stake his credibility on persuading the most reluctant of partners.
Over the past year, the former president has toyed with withdrawing from NATO, floated cutting funding to Kyiv, and presented himself as the only man who could “end the war in 24 hours,” which seemed to mean forcing Ukraine to surrender.
European leaders were bracing for the prospect of a Trump presidency that would unravel the transatlantic security order. To have him suddenly nodding along with Charles’s view that Ukraine might reclaim its territory is nothing short of astonishing. It shifts the mood music dramatically. It suggests that NATO’s foundation stone—that Europe and America are in this together—may yet survive a second Trump term.
Let’s also admit that it’s a lot “safer” to give Charles the credit because he’s not a politician. If Trump changes his mind again – and he changes his mind as often as his diapers are changed – it’s not like anyone will say “welp, I guess the king sucks, impeach!!” Charles did what he needed to do, but Keir Starmer and Ukraine’s European allies have also learned how to manipulate Trump and change his tone in the short-term. Has the “TACO” acronym made it to Europe yet? Trump Always Chickens Out. Trump Always Changes His Mind (TACHM) too.
Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.
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- Britain’s King Charles and U.S. President Donald Trump sit in a carriage during a procession through Windsor Castle, in Windsor, Britain, September 17, 2025.,Image: 1038093448, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Toby Melville/Avalon
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- US President Donald Trump and King Charles III watch a a flypast by the RAF Red Arrows during a Beating Retreat military ceremony at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on day one of the president’s second state visit to the UK. Picture date: Wednesday September 17, 2025.,Image: 1038137689, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Jordan Pettitt/Avalon
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- US President Donald Trump and King Charles III following a Beating Retreat military ceremony at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on day one of the president’s second state visit to the UK. Picture date: Wednesday September 17, 2025.,Image: 1038137823, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Jordan Pettitt/Avalon
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- US President Donald Trump and King Charles III following a Beating Retreat military ceremony at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on day one of the president’s second state visit to the UK. Picture date: Wednesday September 17, 2025.,Image: 1038147219, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Jordan Pettitt/Avalon
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- King Charles III (left) stands with US President Donald Trump at the state banquet at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on day one of the president’s second state visit to the UK. Picture date: Wednesday September 17, 2025.,Image: 1038189388, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Aaron Chown/Avalon
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- King Charles III delivers his speech as US President Donald Trump and the Princess of Wales listen during the state banquet for the US President and First Lady Melania Trump at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on day one of their second state visit to the UK. Picture date: Wednesday September 17, 2025.,Image: 1038189435, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Yui Mok/Avalon
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- US President Donald Trump delivers his speech as King Charles III and the Princess of Wales listen during the state banquet for the US President and First Lady Melania Trump at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, on day one of their second state visit to the UK. Picture date: Wednesday September 17, 2025.,Image: 1038189483, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Yui Mok/Avalon
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- King Charles III and Queen Camilla (left) with US President Donald Trump and his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, at Windsor Castle, Berkshire, before formally bidding farewell to the president on day two of their state visit to the UK. Picture date: Thursday September 18, 2025.,Image: 1038371038, License: Rights-managed, Restrictions: – Fee Payable Upon reproduction – For queries contact Avalon sales@Avalon.red London +44 20 7421 6000 Los Angeles +1 310 822 0419 Berlin +49 30 76 212 251 Madrid +34 91 533 42 89, *** NO UK USE FOR 48 HRS ***, Model Release: no, Credit line: Avalon.red/Avalon
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- Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and France’s President Emmanuel Macron hold a meeting during a Leaders’ Summit on the situation in Ukraine at Lancaster House, Featuring: President Emmanuel Macron, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Where: London, United Kingdom When: 02 Mar 2025 Credit: Justin Tallis/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- King Charles III meeting Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the Sandringham Estate Featuring: King Charles III, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy Where: Sandringham, United Kingdom When: 02 Mar 2025 Credit: Joe Giddens/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- King Charles III holds an audience with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Windsor Castle, Berkshire Featuring: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, King Charles III Where: London, United Kingdom When: 23 Jun 2025 Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
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- King Charles III holds an audience with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at Windsor Castle, Berkshire Featuring: Volodymyr Zelenskyy, King Charles III Where: London, United Kingdom When: 23 Jun 2025 Credit: Jonathan Brady/PA Images/INSTARimages **NORTH AMERICA RIGHTS ONLY**
I’d be happy to give Charles all his flowers if Trump actually changed his mind on Ukraine. But let’s face it, even on Ukraine, he’s back pedaled more than once. This is a Trump characteristic: be agreeable in person before reverting to type. Even MVP, in her book, described his Jekyll and Hyde persona. My guess is the next time he speaks to Putin he’ll be back to his default position that Ukraine brought the Russian invasion on itself somehow. I sincerely hope I’m wrong.
It’s absolute nonsense of course. Trump has changed his mind because Russia has let him down multiple times and he wants his Noble Peace Prize. Trump also said that climate change was nonsense. Are we going to claim that environmentalist Charles had the opposite effect on Trump when it comes to the environment because he doubled down on climate change denial?
I’m loathe to give anyone mentioned here any credit–they’re all a bunch of assholes. But if I had to, I would say that Melania was the positive force on Ukraine. She wrote the letter to Putin about abducted Ukrainian children and hosted a “Fostering the Future Together” event attended by Ukraine’s First Lady, Olena Zelenska. As a Slovenian-American, I’d assume she has some personal opinions about Russia and Ukraine.
Ok now that I got that over with, I’ll go back to hating all of these people with the fire of a thousand suns.
ETA: and no, I don’t think Trump will end the war. He’s more scared of upsetting Putin than watching Ukraine burn.
Sure
Nobody changed his mind. Orange Mussolini has finally worked out in his tiny pea brain that Putin is losing, and there’s nothing he hates more than being associated with a loser.
Yeah this sort of thing is exactly why they still have a King, and Charles is decent at playing that part. William will be terrible at it though–that’s whats going to be the end of royalty in the UK.
Do you have any idea how much paperwork getting rid of the royal family would take? How many hours of debate it would take up in the Commons, even if everyone agreed in principle?
You’re talking about rewriting over 1,000 years of legislation all so taxpayers can be £1 richer at the end of the year (presuming this money doesn’t then go to fund a president).
There’s a reason why monarchies only fall in revolutions and at times of war. It’s just not worth the effort in peacetime.
Parliament can’t meet to discuss changes to the monarchy without the consent of the monarch, correct? Sounds like the world’s oldest grift.
I agree— the menace hasn’t changed his mind about anything. Listen to the remarks he gave to the generals today. He’s disappointed in Putin— for not defeating Ukraine in one week.
Charles has been very good on Ukraine, whether he changes Cheetos mind for the long term is a whole other thing. Dude is a weather vane who only direction is “what’s in it for me”
Seriously? The Orange Blob is going to do whatever he chooses to do. Putin still has him under his thumb. If Blob doesn’t want him telling all of things Putin has on him, he’ll be performative until he isn’t any longer.