US President Donald Trump has expressed his dissatisfaction with the UK government’s approach to the ongoing conflict with Iran, criticizing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s statement that the country would not be drawn into the “wider war”.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Trump stated he was “not happy” with the United Kingdom, arguing that the nation should be participating “enthusiastically” in efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial shipping channel for oil.
In a subsequent press conference, Trump noted that while some nations had disappointed him, he specifically singled out the UK, a nation he referred to as having been considered “the Rolls-Royce of allies”.
The Strait of Hormuz has been effectively closed to tankers by Iran, causing a surge in global oil prices. Iran has issued threats to attack any vessels it views as linked to the United States, while the area also faces severe risks from sea mines.
Trump has called on the UK and other countries to deploy warships to the Gulf to secure the shipping lane. He noted that he sometimes asks world leaders for assistance with the strait “not because we need them but because I want to find out how they’re reacting”.
Sir Keir Starmer has maintained that the UK is collaborating with its allies to develop a “viable, collective plan” to reopen the waterway. He confirmed that the UK already has minehunters stationed in the region, though no final decisions on specific actions have been made.
Tensions between the two leaders previously flared when Starmer refused to allow the United States to utilize UK military bases for initial offensive strikes against Iran. Starmer has, however, since permitted the bases to be used for defensive operations against Iranian missile strikes.
Highlighting their joint efforts in Ukraine, Trump admitted he was “very surprised” by the UK’s stance. He remarked, “We don’t need to work with them in Ukraine, and then they tell us that we have a mine ship around and they don’t want to do it. I think it’s terrible.”
The US President also accused the Prime Minister of waiting to offer aircraft carriers until “right after the war essentially ended”, reiterating that he was not happy with the UK and believes they should be involved more enthusiastically.
Recounting a conversation with Starmer, Trump said he asked the Prime Minister to send a couple of ships and minesweepers. According to Trump, Starmer responded by saying he would like to ask his team.
“I said, you don’t have to worry about a team. You don’t have a team. You’re the prime minister. You can make a decision… So it’s very disappointing,” Trump told the press.
UK sources clarified that Starmer’s reference to a team was an attempt to assess what the military and allied nations could achieve collectively as a group, rather than a reflection on his own decision-making authority.
Meanwhile, the British warship HMS Dragon departed Portsmouth on 10 March to participate in the UK’s defensive operations in the area. The Type 45 destroyer will primarily focus on protecting RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, a base that was targeted by an Iranian-made drone earlier in the month.