U.S. President, Donald Trump has expressed disappointment over what he described as a noticeable shift in relations between Washington and London, following Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s initial decision to withhold direct military backing for strikes against Iran.
In an interview with The Sun, Trump suggested the long-standing alliance between the two countries was no longer as firm as it once was.
“It’s very sad to see that the relationship is obviously not what it was,” Trump said.
He also contrasted Britain’s stance with that of other European allies, singling out France for its support.
He noted that while the United States was capable of prosecuting military operations in the Middle East independently, he believed the UK should have played a more immediate role.
“It’s not going to matter, but (Starmer) should have helped… he should have.
“I mean, France has been great. They’ve all been great. The UK has been much different from others,” he added.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer later confirmed on Sunday that Britain would permit U.S. forces to use British bases for defensive operations, though those facilities were not utilised during the initial strike on Iran.
Responding to Trump’s remarks, senior British minister Darren Jones defended the government’s cautious approach.
Speaking to Times Radio, he emphasized that the U.S.-UK partnership remains vital but pointed to historical lessons, particularly Britain’s involvement in the 2003 Iraq war.
“One of the lessons of Iraq was that it’s better to be involved in these situations when you are aligned with international partners, and as I say, with a clear legal basis in the plan,” he said.