US President Donald Trump has said that the upcoming state visit from King Charles III and Queen Camilla could help repair relations between the United States and the United Kingdom.

In a phone interview with the BBC, Trump responded to a question about whether the visit could mend ties: "Absolutely. He's fantastic. He's a fantastic man. Absolutely the answer is yes." He added, "I know him well, I've known him for years. He's a brave man, and he's a great man. They would absolutely be a positive."

The King and Queen will travel to the US for a four-day visit beginning Monday, meeting Trump at the White House. The King will hold a private meeting with the president and deliver an address to Congress.

After two days in Washington DC, they will visit New York, Virginia, and Bermuda before returning to the UK. The Foreign Office said the trip marks the 250th anniversary of US independence, celebrating a partnership of "shared prosperity, security and history."

Trump also commented on his relationship with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, suggesting Starmer could "recover" only by changing course on immigration. "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," Trump said.

The president criticized the UK's response to the war in Iran, claiming he didn't need allies but they "should've been there." He described his calls for support as "more of a test." Trump also defended his threat that "a whole civilization will die tonight" unless Iran agreed to a deal, saying, "The other side is dying to make a deal. Whatever I'm saying or doing, it seems to be working very well."

Source: www.bbc.com