When UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer visited President Donald Trump last month, he invited the president for an official state visit. Trump said that it would be an honor to return to the UK, and he called King Charles III a “beautiful man, a wonderful man.”
Now there are rumors that Trump’s upcoming second state visit may include a gesture that could make the “special relationship” even more special. The Daily Mail is reporting that Charles is set to offer Trump the opportunity for the U.S. to become an associate member of the Commonwealth of Nations.
“Plans are being made for the USA to become the next ‘associate member’ of the Commonwealth,” reports Richard Eden. “The King shares his late mother’s deep affection and respect for the global ‘family of nations’ and sees it as particularly important at a time of international conflict and global uncertainty.”
“Suggestions for the US to join the Commonwealth were first made during Trump’s first stint in the White House by the Royal Commonwealth Society (RCS) with the blessing of Queen Elizabeth,” reports The Sun. “Now in his second term of office, the proposal has been brought back, with members of the society crossing their fingers for the King to extend an invitation to Trump upon their next meeting.”
The president had an interesting reaction to the reports. He posted on Truth Social:
Reportedly, one of the reasons for extending the invitation is that it could serve to cool tensions between the U.S. and Canada. The king is the head of state over our neighbors to the north, and he is reportedly interested in easing the frustrations between the two nations.
But what would Commonwealth membership mean for the U.S.? It wouldn’t put us under any authority of the UK, which is what it sounds like on the surface. Commonwealth membership would be more like a G7-type alliance or even like membership in a club.
The Sun explains:
The Commonwealth of Nations, more commonly referred to as the Commonwealth, is an international association of 56 member states, many of which are former territories of the British Empire.
Connected by their use of the English language and historical-cultural ties, the group works to support each other economically and socially to spearhead development.
The Commonwealth dates back to the first half of the 20th century when decolonisation was rampant throughout the British Empire.
King Charles acts as Head of the Commonwealth, in addition to his position as serving as king over 15 of the member states – known as the Commonwealth realms.
[…]
Citizenship of one of the member states can often provide benefits, especially in the UK.
The Commonwealth Charter defines a list of shared values for democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, between its members.
“This is being discussed at the highest levels,” a source told the Daily Mail. “It would be a wonderful move that would symbolise Britain’s close relationship with the U.S. Donald Trump loves Britain and has great respect for the Royal Family, so we believe he would see the benefits of this.”
Donald Trump is indeed an anglophile. His mother was Scottish, which certainly played a role in his love for Great Britain. It’s a marked contrast to Joe Biden’s attitude toward the British. The former president used his Irish heritage as an excuse to treat one of our biggest allies with nasty, snide pettiness.
Flashback: Is Biden’s Hatred of the English Showing on His Ireland Trip?
“Biden needs to let his petty, silly Irish grudges go and make overtures in favor of the ‘special relationship’ — because he can still be Irish and respect the British as an American ally,” I wrote nearly two years ago. “The president has done much to weaken our international standing; he doesn’t need to screw this alliance up, too.”
Whether Commonwealth membership means anything to Americans, it could benefit the “special relationship.” Eden notes that “When the RCS wrote to Trump in 2017, its then director, Michael Lake, said opening a Commonwealth branch in the U.S. would help the two nations ‘find imaginative ways’ to work together.”
It’ll be interesting to see if King Charles does extend an invitation. It’ll be equally interesting to see if Trump accepts.
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