UK-US ties tested: Britain courts Donald Trump with King Charles

The Times of Oman reports on the strained "special relationship" between the United Kingdom and the United States, particularly under the Trump administration. The article highlights how the UK government is navigating a delicate path, attempting to appease President Trump while also asserting its own foreign policy interests, notably its reluctance to be drawn into the US-led conflict with Iran.

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This is not Winston Churchill we are dealing with.

Donald Trump has publicly criticized the UK and Prime Minister Keir Starmer, contrasting the current relationship unfavorably with past ties. The article notes that Britain's refusal to fully support US actions in Iran, including denying access to British bases for US troops, has been perceived by Trump as a betrayal, especially after the UK was the first to sign a post-tariff trade deal with the US.

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it was “sad to see the relationship is obviously not what it was,” adding the prime minister “has not been helpful.”

In an effort to mend fences and leverage diplomatic channels, the British government is utilizing royal diplomacy. The planned state visit by King Charles III is seen as a strategic move, employing the monarch's ceremonial role as a tool of soft diplomacy. This approach, while traditional for British foreign policy, is deployed in the hope of influencing Trump's perceptions and actions, even though the King has no executive power.

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The view of the British government will be that it’s better to at least make the attempt and to have some chance of winning favour for a brief period of time and having some influence than not.

However, public opinion in the UK appears less accommodating. An opinion poll cited in the article indicates that a significant portion of Britons are opposed to the royal visit, suggesting a disconnect between the government's diplomatic strategy and public sentiment. The Times of Oman frames this as a test for the enduring strength of the US-UK alliance, questioning whether it can withstand the personal and political friction generated by the current US administration. The article implicitly suggests that while the UK values the relationship, its own national interests and public opinion are becoming increasingly important factors in its foreign policy decisions.

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Donald Trump would have reacted very badly to that. The Foreign Office and the British government will want to avoid doing anything to offend him.