Presidents use state visits as an occasion to showcase the best of American culture — and, in this case, perhaps, subtly highlight the resilience of a people who, 250 years ago, rose up and wrested themselves from a king’s control.

The shooting over the weekend at the White House correspondents’ dinner has featured the darker side of the United States at a time when Mr. Trump is supposed to be showcasing America’s 250th birthday for the British royalty. For a moment over the weekend, it was unclear if King Charles would travel to Washington at all, before he reassessed and ultimately committed to his plans for a four-day visit to Washington, New York and Virginia.