So King is going to offer US membership in commonwealth to avoid tariffs. Does congress have to approve this and at what level? Donald Trump suggests US could join British Commonwealth According to The Daily Mail, the king is expected to make the 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 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 trip to the White House. At the meeting, Trump described King Charles III as "a beautiful man."
