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U.S. President Donald Trump has criticized Britain’s response to the ongoing tensions with Iran, saying he was “not happy” and “very surprised” at Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s stance.
Trump argued that the UK “should be involved enthusiastically” in assisting American forces to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, currently blockaded by Tehran. The blockade is disrupting the flow of oil and gas from the Middle East, contributing to rising global energy prices.
He suggested that countries joining efforts to protect shipping in the Strait would face “very few shots” from Iran. His comments came shortly after the former head of the UK armed forces warned that Royal Navy vessels could be at risk of attack.
Trump also said he had spoken to Starmer, admonishing him for consulting aides before deciding whether to send warships to the region. The US President expressed frustration that Starmer had rejected his request for other nations to contribute naval support.
In a Downing Street press conference, Starmer emphasized that the UK would not be drawn into a “wider war” in the Middle East, and stressed his desire to see “an end to this war as quickly as possible.”
However, speaking to the media later, Trump said:
“I was very surprised with the UK. Two weeks ago, I asked, ‘Why don’t you send some ships over?’ And he [Starmer] really didn’t want to do it. I said, ‘You don’t want to do it?’
We’ve been with you. You’re our oldest ally, and we spend a lot of money on NATO and all these things to protect you. We’re protecting them. We’re working with them on Ukraine, thousands of miles away… And then they tell us they have a minesweeper around, and they don’t want to do it. I think it’s terrible. I was very surprised.”
Trump added that he had questioned why Starmer needed to consult advisers on sending a warship to the Gulf, saying:
“The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom told me, ‘I’m meeting with my team to make a determination.’ I said, ‘You don’t need to meet with your team. You’re the Prime Minister, you can make your own decision. Why meet with your team to decide whether to send minesweepers or other boats?’”
He concluded by predicting that involvement from the UK and other allies could bring oil prices down “very, very rapidly.”
