Donald Trump has slammed “terrible” Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer over the war in Iran. The US President said he was “very surprised” at Britain's refusal to take part in the US and Israel's offensive operations in Iran, which began on February 28.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has made it clear that the UK was not involved in the attacks, in which Iran's former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei was killed, along with dozens of senior figures in the country. Iran has retaliated by targeting US bases in neighboring countries in the Gulf, sparking fears a wider regional conflict could be unleashed.
Tehran also closed off the Strait of Hormuz, a vital route for the global oil trade, which sent prices soaring. The shock has been felt across the world, and raised the price Americans pay at the pump, just as the midterm election season begins to heat up.
Mr Trump says he's asked roughly a half-dozen other countries to send warships to reopen the strait, including Britain. But so far, none has committed.
The President even indicated he would use his long-planned trip to China to pressure Beijing to help with a new coalition meant to get oil tanker traffic moving through it — a notion that his treasury secretary later downplayed.
On Monday Sir Keir said that Britain is working with allies on a plan to reopen the shipping route, but “will not be drawn into the wider war”.
The UK is discussing with the US and allies in Europe and the Gulf the possibility of using mine-hunting drones that Britain has in the region, the PM said, but signaled that the UK is unlikely to dispatch a warship. Other countries have similarly been resistant to get involved.
It provoked an angry reaction from Mr Trump hours later. In remarks to reporters at The White House on Monday he fumed: “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, you know, NATO and all of these things to protect you.”
The Republican firebrand appeared to suggest that he had asked the UK to send two aircraft carriers to the region. “He didn't really want to do it,” Mr Trump said, seemingly in reference to Sir Keir.
Mr Trump suggested Sir Keir changed his mind and later offered to do so but the President turned him down as in his estimation the war had “essentially ended” by that point.
“I think it's terrible,” the President said, but made a renewed call for Britain to get involved. “I was not happy with the UK,” he said. “I think they'll be involved, yeah, maybe, but they should be involved enthusiastically.”
MORE UPDATES TO FOLLOW…