Trump says King's US visit could 'absolutely' help repair relations with UK

US President Donald Trump has declared that next week's state visit from King Charles and Queen Camilla to America could "absolutely" help mend the strained relationship between the US and the UK. When quizzed during a phone interview with the BBC on whether the visit could help patch things up, Trump said: "Absolutely. He's fantastic. He's a fantastic man. Absolutely the answer is yes. "I know him well, I've known him for years," he added. "He's a brave man, and he's a great man. They would absolutely be a positive." The president also touched on his relationship with Prime Minister Keir Starmer , suggesting he could only "recover" by changing tack on immigration. The King and Queen will head to the US for a four-day visit kicking off on Monday, where they will meet Trump at the White House. The King will hold a private meeting with the president and deliver a speech to Congress. Following two days in Washington DC, the royal couple will head to New York, Virginia and Bermuda before making their return to the UK. The Foreign Office confirmed the trip will mark the 250th anniversary of US independence, celebrating a partnership of "shared prosperity, security and history". During Thursday's interview, Trump was also pressed on his relationship with Sir Keir. The two leaders have appeared to be at loggerheads over the war in Iran, with Sir Keir also facing growing scrutiny over his decision to appoint Lord Mandelson as UK ambassador to the US. Taking to Truth Social on Monday, Trump described Lord Mandelson as "a really bad pick" while suggesting the prime minister had "plenty of time to recover". When pressed on the meaning behind the post, Trump said: "If he opened the North Sea and if his immigration policies became strong, which right now they're not, he can recover, but if he doesn't, I don't think he has a chance." The US president has repeatedly urged Britain to ramp up oil and gas drilling in the North Sea, while also hitting out at the UK government and other allies over their handling of the Iran conflict. Trump has made clear he is "not happy" with the level of backing offered by Britain, while Sir Keir has consistently insisted the country will not be dragged into a "wider war". When quizzed by the BBC on why he needed allies like the UK to step up, Trump replied: "I didn't need them at all but they should've been there. I didn't need them, obviously. We've wiped Iran's military out, he added. " he continued. "I didn't need anybody." Trump went on to reveal his calls for support amounted to "more of a test", saying: "I wanted to see whether or not they would be involved. "The president was also challenged over his earlier threat this month that "a whole civilisation will die tonight" unless Iran struck a deal — a remark roundly condemned by figures including the Pope and the UN chief. "The other side is dying to make a deal," he responded. "So whatever I'm saying or whatever I'm doing, it seems to be working very well."