US President Donald Trump stated on Saturday that he didn’t require assistance from Britain to handle the situation with Iran, although the UK is considering sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East.
This declaration comes during a tense period between the US and its longtime ally, Britain, following fluctuating relations since Trump took office. In a post on Truth Social, Trump mentioned that he would remember the lack of support from the UK during the conflict.
He remarked, “The United Kingdom, which has been a great ally, is now thinking about sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East. That’s fine, Prime Minister Starmer; we don’t really need them anymore. But we’ll remember.” Trump added, “We don’t need allies that come to our aid only after we’ve already emerged victorious.”
Moreover, Trump has been critical of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, suggesting that Starmer played a role in damaging the historically strong bond between the two nations after Britain initially denied the US use of its bases to strike Iran.
Starmer has stood by his decision to restrict US forces from using British bases for early strikes, emphasizing the need for any military action to be legally justified and carefully planned. However, he later allowed US forces to utilize these bases for what he termed defensive strikes against Iranian missile sites.
In response to Trump’s remarks, Britain’s defence ministry confirmed it is preparing the Prince of Wales, an aircraft carrier, for potential deployment. However, a final decision about sending it to West Asia has yet to be made, according to a British official.
The topic of wars in the Middle East remains sensitive in the UK, especially in light of the Iraq War, where former Prime Minister Tony Blair later apologized for the invasion in 2003, claiming Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction—none of which were ever found.
