Donald Trump and Charles III exchange jabs on the British monarch's historic visit: 'He made a great speech, I'm very jealous'

Donald Trump and the kingCharles IIIexchanged darts laden with humor and history during the British monarch's state visit to Washington.

During the state dinner hosted in his honor Tuesday night at the White House, President Trump praised the speech the king had delivered hours earlier before the Congress and joked before the guests:

"Charles made a fantastic speech," Trump noted with a chuckle. "He got the Democrats to stand, and I’ve never been able to do it. I couldn’t believe it. They liked him more than they’ve ever liked any Republican or Democrat, actually."

The comment drew laughter and applause from the room.

Before the dinner, Trump and the first lady, Melania Trump, personally went out to greet King Charles III and Queen Camilla when their motorcade arrived at the White House. The four posed briefly on the red carpet, at which point Trump pointed to the monarch and said with a smile, "He made a great speech, I'm very jealous."

France, at the center of the royal quips

For his part, during the state dinner, Charles III launched one of the most commented phrases of the visit. With his characteristic British humor, he responded to a previous comment by the president and joked: "You recently commented, Mr. President, that if it were not for the United States, European countries would be speaking German. Dare I say that, if it wasn’t for us, you’d be speaking French."

The phrase, uttered during the toast, provoked laughter and applause among the attendees and quickly went viral on social networks and international media.

The king was referring directly to statements the president made in January during the World Economic Forum in Davos. On that occasion, Trump criticized European allies for "taking advantage" of U.S. defense since World War II and claimed that, "Without us, right now you’d all be speaking German and a little Japanese, perhaps."

Charles III returned the  with elegance, alluding to the colonial conflicts of the 18th century between Great Britain and France for control of North America. Without the British victory in those territories, French, the language of New France, might have been the dominant language in much of what is now the United States.

The monarch immediately added that "Of course, we both love our French cousins greatly," softening the comment and preserving the cordial tone.

The joke about the British ‘readjustments’ of the White House

The king did not limit himself to just one joke. He also joked about the demolition of the East Wing of the White House, where the president wants to build a $400 million ballroom: "I am sorry to say that we British, of course, made our own attempt at real estate redevelopment of the White House in 1814."

Charles III was referring to the burning of the building by British troops during the War of 1812. He also compared the state dinner to a "very considerable improvement" over the Boston Tea Mutiny of 1773.

A historic gift to seal an enduring alliance

As a culmination of the evening, Charles III presented President Trump with the original bell from the British submarine HMS Trump, a Royal Navy ship launched in 1944 that participated in World War II.

"Tonight, Mr. President, I am pleased to present to you as a personal gift the original bell," the monarch said, noting that "it can serve as a testament to the shared history of our nations and their bright future."

He then said with a smile, "And if you ever need to get in touch with us... just give us a shout," which drew laughter from the guests.

The president, a known admirer of the British monarchy, welcomed the gift.

Trump's mother's secret crush that made the king laugh

During the welcoming ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House, President Trump humorously revealed a personal detail about the admiration of his late mother, Mary Anne MacLeod Trump, for King Charles III.

"My mother, I just see it so clearly, she loved the royal family, and she loved the Queen. Anytime the Queen was involved in a ceremony or anything, my mother would be glued to the television. I also remember her saying very clearly, 'Charles, look, young Charles, he’s so cute.'" Trump recounted, eliciting laughter from those present.

"My mother had a crush on Charles. Can you believe it?" he added, turning to the British monarch, who smiled and laughed at the comment.

Trump wryly concluded, "I wonder what she’s thinking right now."

Despite political differences, especially over the war in Iran and tensions between Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, the dinner underscored the special relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States. The king's humor served to lighten the mood and remind us that shared history remains a pillar of the alliance.