Security ramped up for King's visit to US after 'assassination attempt' on Donald Trump

The King ’s US state visit has “all appropriate security measures” in place following a suspected assassination attempt on Donald Trump, the British ambassador to Washington has said.

Minor adjustments have been made to some royal engagements following the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Saturday evening in Washington.

The White House have described the incident as an attempted assassination of the President.

Charles and Camilla arrive in Washington today for the most important foreign trip of their reign so far, but the visit now has the added element of increased security concerns .

The four-day trip is set to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence and strengthen the special UK-US relationship, which has been under serious strain in recent months.

Security teams in Britain and the US worked through the night assessing the state visit after the president was endangered when shots were fired outside the dinner.

Britain’s ambassador in Washington, Sir Christopher Turner said UK and US security teams had been planning the trip for weeks before the incident at the media dinner, with changes possible “as we go”.

While minor adjustments will be made to one or two royal engagements, the overall plan is understood to remain unchanged.

Buckingham Palace confirmed the visit would “proceed as planned” after discussions were held on both sides of the Atlantic and advice taken from the Government .

Sir Christopher, who replaced Peter Mandelson following his sacking over new revelations about his relationship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein , said: “The real point is that our respective security teams have been in close touch for weeks.

“And any operational changes we have to make, we can make them as we go, and we are all very confident that all appropriate security measures are in place.”
But chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee Labour MP Emily Thornberry said she is "anxious" about King Charles' state visit after the deterioration of Trump’s relationship with Sir Keir and what appeared to be a third assassination attempt on the US president.

She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "It is a really high wire act and the president [Trump] is so unpredictable.

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“There are a number of things we're at loggerheads on.”
The King and Queen are understood to have contacted the president and his wife, Melania, to express their sympathies after the incident at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner.

It comes at a pivotal moment for the UK and US, with relations between Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and the American President fractious.

Trump has branded the UK’s approach to the Iran war “terrible” and repeatedly lashed out at Sir Keir, with reports suggesting the US could review its position on the Falkland Islands in retaliation for Britain’s lack of support for the war in Iran.

There is hope in Downing Street that Charles and Camilla can help put the UK-US relationship on a firmer footing.

Trump appears to have an affinity with the King , saying when asked by the BBC if the visit could help repair strained transatlantic relations: “Absolutely.

He’s fantastic.

He’s a fantastic man.

Absolutely the answer is yes.”
There have been repeated calls by US congressman Ro Khanna and the family of the late Virginia Giuffre, who accused the King’s brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor of sexual assault in the early 2000s when she was a teenager trafficked by Epstein, for a meeting with the King and Queen.

But sources have previously said the royal couple will not meet them while there are ongoing UK police investigations.

The historic visit, the King’s first visit to the US as monarch, will herald the start of celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, which came after forces led by George Washington defeated Charles’ forebear King George III’s army.

Mrs Trump has led the preparations for the state visit, and highlights include Charles’ address to both houses of Congress and the royal couple commemorating the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks that brought down New York’s Twin Towers.

The US leader and his wife will meet their royal guests when they arrive at the White House’s south portico on Monday and escort them to the state floor for private tea in the green room.

Later the King and Queen will attend a garden party featuring guests representing the connection between the US and UK.