Former President Trump criticized President Biden’s decision to skip the upcoming coronation of Britain’s King Charles III, saying it is “very disrespectful” for him not to attend and arguing it is “hard for him to do it physically.”
“Certainly, he should be here as our representative of our country,” Trump said in an interview with GB News. “I was very surprised, I think it’s very disrespectful for him not to be here.”
The White House announced last month that Biden planned to skip the event, slated for May 6, and instead planned to send first lady Jill Biden and a U.S. delegation. American presidents in the past have skipped the coronation for a British monarch.
Then-President Eisenhower skipped the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, choosing to send a delegation to the event.
The decision by Biden not to attend the coronation comes after he and the first lady attended the September funeral of Elizabeth and called the new king to offer condolences.
Biden called Charles and congratulated him last month, the White House said, telling the monarch he wants to meet with him, despite missing the coronation.
But Trump used the news of Biden’s absence to attack his age, suggesting that the president was physically unable to travel to the coronation.
“I don’t think he can do it physically, actually. I think that it’s hard for him to do it physically,” Trump said. “He’s got a lot of things going, a lot of strange things happened.”
Trump’s jab at Biden’s age is one that he has continued since his 2020 campaign against the former vice president. Biden has made a number of overseas trips recently, including traveling to Ireland last month.