President Trump used the past tense on Saturday to describe the U.K. as America’s “once great ally” when he rejected the country’s offer to send aircraft carriers to the Middle East.
“The United Kingdom, our once great ally, made the greatest of them all, is finally giving serious thought to sending two aircraft carriers to the middle east,” said Trump. “That’s OK, Prime Minister Starmer, we don’t need them any longer. But we will remember. We don’t need people that join wars after we’ve already won.”
Before changing his stance, U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer had criticized the strikes, saying, “Donald Trump has plunged the Middle East into chaos. We will stand by ethics, no matter the pressure.”
At a press conference on Friday, Starmer explained the policy shift came when Iran started attacking countries around the Gulf and the surrounding region.
“When Iran started attacking countries around the Gulf and the wider region, the situation changed. Iran has now fired drones and missiles at ten countries that did not attack them,” Starmer said. “These are allies of the U.K. where we have hundreds of thousands of British people as well as British military personnel. Our number one priority is protecting our people.”
Before Iran’s attacks, Starmer explained he only wanted a negotiated settlement with Iran where they would give up their nuclear ambitions. “That’s why I took the decision that the U.K. would not join the initial strikes on Iran by the U.S. and Israel. That decision was deliberate. It was in the national interest and I stand by it.”
Trump criticized Starmer on his initial decision, saying, “This is not Winston Churchill we are dealing with.”
Initially, Starmer blocked the United States from using British military bases for strikes against Iran during Operation Epic Fury. However, the U.K. later gave Trump permission for “defensive strikes.”
The president wanted to use British territories in the Indian Ocean. Days later, the U.K. agreed, but for the intervening time, American air forces had to make other arrangements.
