WASHINGTON–Since declaring its independence 250 years ago, the United States has always opposed having its own monarchy.
But as the royals of the United Kingdom, King Charles III and Queen Camilla, visited the nation’s capital this week, the White House contradicted that notion.
Tuesday afternoon, the White House’s X account posted a photo of President Donald Trump and the king with the caption “TWO KINGS,” and a crown emoji.
TWO KINGS. ???? pic.twitter.com/iPVUxc4i4H
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 28, 2026
This sparked debate on the Trump administration’s periodic comparisons of the president to a monarch.
The king and queen’s visit to the nation’s capital was meant to celebrate the relationship between the two countries. For the most part, it did. During the first stop of the monarch’s four-day state visit to the U.S., Charles spoke to a joint session of Congress and visited the White House.
But then came the X post, at a moment when Trump was also trumpeting the need for a massive new gilded ballroom fit for a king. It’s the sort of behavior people complain about in the “No Kings” protests that pop up persistently during this administration.
This time, it was members of Congress who were peeved – and they answered in a flood on X.
“A king and a dictator. There are no kings in America. Not now, not ever,” wrote Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.).
“This isn’t your kingdom. It’s our country. America fired its last king 250 years ago,” Rep. Tim Kennedy (D-N.Y.) posted.
“You sir are a joke, not a king,” Rep. Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) added.
“This is America, we don’t do Kings,” Rep. Shontel Brown (D-Ohio) said.
Despite the Trump administration’s royally concentrated comments, the king’s sentiment slightly differed. It focused more on the relationship between the two countries and how it will move forward.
“The story of the United Kingdom and the United States is, at its heart, a story of reconciliation, renewal and remarkable partnership,” the king said. “From the bitter divisions of 250 years ago, we forged a friendship that has grown into one of the most consequential alliances in human history.”
Before his speech on Tuesday, that’s what some members of Congress wanted to hear about.
“I want to hear him say how we can build a stronger relationship between our two countries, which has such a history,” Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said to Capital News Service ahead of the king’s speech to Congress.
The king quoted Prime Minister Keir Starmer to emphasize the importance of the U.S.-U.K. relationship. He believes that the two countries are stronger together and will need to build on this alliance in the future.
“The challenges we face are too great for any one nation to bear alone. But in this unpredictable environment, our alliance cannot rest on past achievements or assume that foundational principles simply endure,” Charles said. “As my prime minister said last month: ‘ours is an indispensable partnership. We must not disregard everything that has sustained us for the last eighty years. Instead, we must build on it.”