Joe Biden has come under fire from Donald Trump for skipping the King’s coronation, saying that his absence has ‘greatly humiliated’ the British people.
Joe Biden ought to have attended King Charles III’s coronation. That seems like a lot to ask, doesn’t it? In a post on his Truth Social network, the former president spoke himself.
The British public is deeply offended. It makes sense why our popularity is dwindling everywhere. RENEW THE GREATNESS OF AMERICA! He continued.
Despite the ‘special relationship’ between the two countries, no US president has ever attended a royal coronation, and last month Biden announced he would not be making an exception.
Instead, the president sent his wife Jill Biden in his place instead, along with her 22-year-old granddaughter, Finnegan.
In an earlier post on Saturday to Truth Social, Trump also wished the king and queen best wishes, writing, ‘Good Luck and Best Wishes to the wonderful new King and Queen of The United Kingdom.
‘You are two very Special People. May your Reign be a Long and Glorious One. GOD BLESS YOU BOTH!!!’
Nevertheless, President Biden congratulated King Charles III and Queen Camilla in a Twitter post on Saturday morning.
‘The enduring friendship between the US and the UK is a source of strength for both our peoples,’ Mr Biden wrote.
The First Lady added that it was an ‘honor to represent the United States on this historic day at Westminster Abbey’ in a statement posted to Twitter.
Mr Trump, who is currently facing a civil rape and defamation trial in the US, also failed to attend the ceremony.
Coronation of King Charles III latest
The president’s decision not to attend drew some domestic criticism from commentators and analysts.
Nile Gardiner, foreign policy analyst and former aide to British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, tweeted, ‘Leaders from across the world are attending today’s Coronation of King Charles III. Even the French President is there.
‘Notably absent is Joe Biden, who could not be bothered.
‘What message does this send to America’s closest ally? Biden is a petty, arrogant, sneering disgrace.’
However, Laura Beers, a professor of history at American University, told the BBC ‘I certainly don’t view it as a snub on President Biden’s part.’
‘It is a non-story in terms of the idea that Biden is anti-British,’ she said. “He’s not going because no American president has ever gone to a coronation, so why start in the 21st century.’
Prior to the reign of Queen Victoria, the relationship between Britain and the US was largely adversarial following the American Revolution and the War of 1812.
Although relations later thawed and the coronation of Queen Victoria was the source of much interest in the States, then-president Martin Van Buren did not attend the coronation.
At the time it was simply not practical for an American president to attend such ceremonies, and the practice became tradition after that.