Trump Slams Starmer: 'Not Happy' with UK's Refusal to Join Iran War Effort, Demands Enthusiastic Support for Strait of Hormuz

 

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Trump expressed surprise and disappointment at the UK's position, describing it as "terrible" and accusing the long-standing ally of dragging its feet.9ade41791892

"I was very surprised with the United Kingdom, because the United Kingdom, two weeks ago, I said, 'Why don't you send some ships over?' And he really didn’t want to do it," Trump said. "You’re our oldest ally and we spend a lot of money on Nato and all of these things to protect you... 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."a09052

Trump added that the UK "should be involved enthusiastically" in protecting the vital shipping channel, which Iran has effectively closed in response to US-Israeli strikes, causing oil prices to surge. He suggested Starmer offered support only "right after the war essentially ended" and recounted telling the prime minister: "You don’t have a team. You’re the prime minister. You can make a decision."cc9279

The comments come after Sir Keir Starmer repeatedly stated that Britain "won't be drawn into a wider war" over Iran and is instead pursuing a "viable, collective plan" with allies to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. The prime minister has emphasised that any UK involvement must be multilateral and carefully planned, noting the presence of British minehunters and new seaborne drones in the region but refusing to commit additional warships immediately.b82f88

Starmer told reporters the task "is not straightforward" and stressed the need for "as many partners as possible" to avoid escalation that could worsen the cost-of-living crisis in Britain. He insisted the UK and US remain "strong allies" while acting in Britain's best interests.b300c8

The Strait of Hormuz handles around a fifth of global oil shipments. Iran’s threats to target vessels linked to the US, combined with sea mines, have disrupted supply chains. Trump has called on allies to deploy warships, framing it as a test of loyalty after US support for Ukraine and NATO. He warned that failure to help could spell a "very bad" future for the alliance.a7d7a3

UK officials have highlighted that the British warship HMS Dragon is already en route for defensive duties, while the government has ruled out using bases for offensive strikes beyond protecting allies from Iranian missiles. Opposition figures, including Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch, criticised Starmer for being too slow, while the Liberal Democrats urged focus on de-escalation rather than new deployments.

Other European nations, including Germany, have similarly declined military involvement, calling the conflict unrelated to NATO’s defensive mandate.

Trump’s remarks underscore growing transatlantic tensions as the US presses for broader support in the 17-day-old conflict, which has seen heavy strikes on Iranian targets and significant casualties reported in Iran and Lebanon.

The White House later noted Trump "wished the UK had stepped up sooner," but Starmer’s office played down any rift, reiterating Britain’s commitment to a coordinated international response.