New Delhi: King Charles III’s state visit to the U.S. will proceed as scheduled on Monday, Buckingham Palace confirmed, despite a recent shooting incident at a White House dinner attended by President Donald Trump.
Charles and Queen Camilla are set to arrive on Monday for a four-day visit, though concerns were raised after a gunman opened fire near the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Saturday, prompting Secret Service agents to swiftly escort Trump from the venue.
“I think it’s great; he’ll be very safe,” Trump said in an interview on CBS News’ “60 Minutes.” “The White House grounds are really safe.”
Trump downplayed the incident, saying the White House remains highly secure and that there was no additional threats to himself or other officials.
Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche said authorities believe the attack may have been aimed at the president and members of his administration, but expressed confidence in the security arrangements for the upcoming visit.
The trip, which will include a private meeting with Trump and an address to Congress marking 250 years of U.S. independence, is aimed at strengthening ties between the U.S. and Britain amid ongoing differences over the Iran conflict.
King And Queen Looking Forward To Visit
“Following discussions on both sides of the Atlantic through the day, and acting on advice of government, we can confirm the state visit by their majesties will proceed as planned,” a Buckingham Palace spokesperson said.
“The king and queen are most grateful to all those who have worked at pace to ensure this remains the case and are looking forward to the visit getting underway tomorrow.”
A Buckingham Palace source said minor operational adjustments may be made to one or two engagements during the visit.
Earlier, the spokesperson confirmed that King Charles was being kept fully briefed on the situation and was relieved that Donald Trump, Melania Trump, and other guests were unharmed.
King Charles and Queen Camilla have also privately conveyed their sympathies to the U.S. president and first lady following the incident, the source added.
Meanwhile, British senior minister Darren Jones earlier on Sunday said the government would continue close coordination with U.S. security agencies ahead of the visit, with ongoing discussions expected to ensure all arrangements remain secure.
“In respect of His Majesty’s visit to the United States next week … our security services obviously remain in close cooperation in advance of that,” Jones told Sky News.
(DD News)