WASHINGTON – PresidentDonald Trumpis expected to hold a closed-door meeting withKing Charlesin the Oval Office, breaking from the televised meeting style that has come to define the president’s visits with foreign leaders during his first year back in office.
Trump is scheduled tosit down with His MajestyTuesday, April 28 as part of a flurry of activities the White House has planned for the first state visit by a British sovereign since Queen Elizabeth in 2007. It’s also the king's first trip to the United States since his 2022 coronation.
The visit comes amid heightened tensions between the United States and United Kingdom over Trump’s handling of the war in Iran and threats to withdraw from the NATO alliance. For King Charles, the trip will be a test of his diplomatic prowess.
More:King Charles hopes to mend rift with US. Is he up to the task?
But royal watchers hoping to listen in on the president and British monarch’s conversation may be disappointed.
The meeting between the two dignitaries will won’t include a livestreamed news conference like those the president has hosted with other international figures.
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The reason, an official with knowledge of the meeting plans said, is because King Charles is a head of state, rather than a head of government. He holds a largely ceremonial role. The king doesn’t dictate policy in the United Kingdom and rarely publicly comments on government affairs.
Trump has touched on high-stakes international policy issues, especially ongoing foreign conflicts, in past televised Oval Office meetings with foreign leaders, including with Ukrainian PresidentVolodymyr Zelenskyyand British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The meetings have at times become heated. A 2025 meeting between Trump and Zelenskyy, for instance, made headlines fordevolving into a shouting match.
The president has met privately with a handful of foreign leaders since the start of the year, though some have included news conferences with the press. In a March meeting this year, Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martindisagreed with Trumpabout immigration in the European Union.
Under British royal decorum, the king is expected to avoid similar debates about ongoing political issues.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Trump and King Charles will meet behind closed doors in Oval Office
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