Dominic Lipinski/Reuters
- Queen Elizabeth II on Monday seemed to offer subtle, but diplomatic criticism of President Donald Trump’s approach to global affairs.
- As Trump sat next to her at the state banquet on his United Kingdom visit, the Queen highlighted the "international institutions" that the United States and UK built together following World War II and a "hard won peace."
- "While the world has changed, we are forever mindful of the original purpose of these structures: nations working together to safeguard a hard won peace," the Queen said.
- Trump hasn’t placed much value in institutions the the US and the UK helped build after the war, such as NATO and the United Nations, and his foreign policy has often put his administration at odds with British leaders.
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Queen Elizabeth II on Monday took a subtle jab at President Donald Trump’s controversial attacks on allies and institutions the United States and the United Kingdom built together following World War II — and she did so while standing next to the president.
"As we face the new challenges of the Twenty-First Century, the anniversary of D-Day reminds us of all that our countries have achieved together. After the shared sacrifices of the Second World War, Britain and the United States worked with other allies to build an assembly of international institutions, to ensure that the horrors of conflict would never be repeated," the Queen said just a few days before the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
The Queen added, "While the world has changed, we are forever mindful of the original purpose of these structures: nations working together to safeguard a hard won peace…Mr. President, as we look to the future, I am confident that our common values and shared interests will continue to unite us."
Trump has continuously placed strains on the "special relationship" between the US and the UK, and he is facing protests as he visits America’s closest ally.
In an early-morning tweet on Monday, Trump attacked London Mayor Sadiq Khan as a "stone cold loser" who has done "terrible job," exhibiting a level of animosity toward a British leader not seen from any of the president’s recent predecessors.
Read more: Trump attacks Sadiq Khan as a ‘stone cold loser’ after London Mayor compares him to a facist
Khan has often been critical of Trump and in a Saturday op-ed wrote that Trump is "just one of the most egregious examples of a growing global threat," as he warned that the "far right is on the rise around the world."
More broadly, Trump has tested the historic US-UK partnership via his attacks on US allies and institutions like NATO and the United Nations.
The US and the UK played an instrumental role in founding both of these global institutions and are still powerful players within them, but Trump hasn’t placed much stock in international cooperation since entering the White House.
Read more: Trump appeared to touch the Queen’s back during dinner, which is a major violation of royal protocol
Indeed, the president’s foreign policy has frequently put Washington at odds with London, which British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt alluded to while discussing Trump’s visit on Monday.
"We don’t agree with everything [Trump] says or does," Hunt said. "We don’t agree with his approach to climate change or the Iran nuclear deal…But that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate the fact that this is one of the most important alliances in history."
See Also:
- 24 photos of Melania and Donald Trump’s historic state visit with the Queen
- Trump appeared to touch the queen’s back during dinner, which is a major violation of royal protocol
- 8 ways Trump could offend the Queen during his state visit to the UK
SEE ALSO: 22 photos of Melania and Donald Trump’s historic state visit with the Queen
Source: Business Insider – feedback@businessinsider.com (John Haltiwanger)