UK Lawmaker Reacts to Trump Suggesting US Could Join British Commonwealth

Right-wing British Member of Parliament Nigel Farage responded favorably to the idea of the United States joining the British Commonwealth after President Donald Trump suggested on Friday it could happen.

Newsweek has reached out to the British prime minister's office, Farage and the Commonwealth for comment on Saturday.

Why It Matters

The Commonwealth is primarily comprised of former British colonies or dependencies, born out of the breakup of the British Empire in the mid-20th century. Joining such a group could be seen as a different tack to Trump's other messages on groups such as the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the United Nations (U.N.), which he has been skeptical of.

The U.S., then the 13 original colonies, fought the American Revolution for independence from the British from 1775 to 1783. Despite those initial tensions, the U.S. and the United Kingdom have maintained an exceptionally close alliance since the World Wars of the 20th century.

What to Know

Farage, leader of Reform UK and a key advocate for the successful 2016 Brexit referendum, posted about the possibility of the U.S. joining the Commonwealth on Friday after Trump reacted to the idea earlier.

"A Commonwealth with the USA would complete the alliance of the English-speaking peoples and help prevent the spread of CCP influence. I helped to launch the Royal Commonwealth Society of America in 2017," the member of parliament, who has been a close international ally of Trump for years, wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

Trump shared an article on Friday morning from British tabloid The Sun reporting that King Charles III was making a "secret offer" to the White House, and that plans are in process for the U.S. to become an associate member of the international organization.

"I Love King Charles. Sounds good to me!" Trump wrote in response to the report. The president again posted a link to the article on Saturday morning.

According to The Daily Mail, the king is expected to offer to make the U.S. the 57th member of the Commonwealth at a time when America's relationship with the European Union (EU) has been strained over Ukraine in its ongoing war with Russia.

The offer is being seen as a way to bolster the U.S. and United Kingdom's so-called "special relationship", despite America having famously split from British rule in the 1700s. The two countries have frequently worked together on foreign policy in the 20th and 21st centuries.

While joining the Commonwealth would largely be symbolic, as the group does not affect governance of its member nations, the move could potentially be used to help avoid the heightened tariffs on steel and aluminum Trump has promised, according to The Daily Mail.

Trump has shown his support for the British royal family for many years and visited Buckingham Palace as part of a state visit during his first term in the White House. The idea to join the Commonwealth was first floated during that 2017-2021 term.

The king invited Trump back to the U.K. for another visit in a letter hand-delivered by British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on his late February trip to the White House. At the meeting, Trump described King Charles III as "a beautiful man."

What People Are Saying

British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer at roundtable with U.S. business leaders on February 27: "There is no more important relationship for the United Kingdom, in defense, in security, in trade, in tech, in finance and so much more."

King Charles III in a statement on Commonwealth Day on March 10: "In these uncertain times, where it is all too easy to believe that our differences are problems instead of a source of strength and an opportunity for learning, the Commonwealth's remarkable collection of nations and peoples come together in the spirit of support and, crucially, friendship...The Commonwealth's ability to bring together people from all over the world has stood the test of time and remains as ever-important today."

What Happens Next?

It remains to be seen whether the U.S. will actually join the Commonwealth. In the Americas, Canada is part of the group of nations, as are several Caribbean nations.