By DARLENE SUPERVILLE and JILL LAWLESS Associated Press
King Charles III has arrived in the United States on a four-day state visit aimed at celebrating the United States' 250th anniversary. The trip beginning Monday comes amid strained trans-Atlantic ties partly over disagreements between the U.K. government and President Donald Trump on issues including the Iran war. The Republican president has praised Charles but criticized Prime Minister Keir Starmer for not supporting military action. The visit of Charles and Queen Camilla includes a White House state dinner and a speech to Congress. They also will visit the Sept. 11 memorial in New York and attend a 250th birthday party in Virginia.
The U.S.-Israel war on Iran has fueled a disagreement between U.S. President Donald Trump and U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Britain hasn't joined in the strikes on Iran and Trump said in an interview published in a British tabloid on Tuesday that the trans-Atlantic relationship is "not what it was." Starmer initially blocked U.S. planes from using British bases for the first attacks that began on Saturday. He later allowed U.S. bombers to use bases in England and the island of Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean to strike Iran's missile program. Starmer told lawmakers that "any U.K. actions must always have a lawful basis and a viable, thought-through plan."