Melanie Stansbury hits back at White House's 'two kings' post, calls Donald Trump 'a joke'

Celebrating King Charles III's visit to the United States, the White House posted a picture of the British monarch alongside President Donald Trump with the caption, "two kings". Reacting sharply to the reference, Representative Melanie Stansbury called Trump "a joke, not a king." 

In a subsequent post, Stansbury questioned how the Founding Fathers would feel if they saw the King of England reminding Americans of the importance of democracy. "Imagine getting in a time machine and going back to 1776 and telling the Founding Fathers that the King would one day be reminding America about the importance of democracy and our checks and balances. That is the timeline we're living in," she wrote.

"The U.S. Supreme Court Historical Society has calculated that Magna Carta is cited in at least 160 Supreme Court cases since 1789, not least as the foundation of the principle that executive power is subject to checks and balances," the King had said during his address to Congress, inviting a standing ovation. Stansbury was present at the King’s address along with several other Democrats.

As she came out of the Capitol, the New Mexico representative said that despite the King being an apolitical figure, he used the platform to remind "America of our democratic values." Stansbury claimed that King Charles's message was directed at the Trump administration "and the battles that are being fought here at this moment." The King, in his speech at the Capitol, also said that the world cared about what America said but even more so about what America did.

"It was also a way to remind us who we are, to remind us of the importance of democracy, and to remind us of the importance of standing up in this moment for our shared responsibility to the planet, to each other, and to the well-being of all humans here on earth. And so, I thought it was an excellent speech and, especially in this moment, very needed, and I am grateful for the opportunity," Stansbury said.

King Charles III has been praised from both sides of the political spectrum for his speech in Congress. "Inspiring and historic address by King Charles before a Joint Session of Congress. His affirmation of our shared values and history was just the right message to reaffirm the Special Relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom. Well Done Your Majesty!" former Vice President Mike Pence wrote.

Senator Lindsey Graham said that he was "honored" to be able to attend the address and claimed that the speech served up a "much-needed morale boost" for Congress. "The speech was a terrific combo of wit, humor, history, and appreciation. I believe most members of Congress feel better after the speech than they did before. Though I will admit it was a bit odd that the unifying feeling had to come from the King of England," he added.