Trump humiliates Starmer over Iran warfare — not ‘primary ally’ | UK | News | EUROtoday

Britain dangers shedding its standing as Washington’s closest associate after Donald Trump questioned whether or not the UK remained America’s “number one ally” and threatened that Nato itself might be completed if allies didn’t act over Iran.

Speaking to reporters, Trump demanded European nations deploy navy forces to deal with what he known as “bad actors” on Iran’s shoreline and assist clear the Strait of Hormuz — insisting the burden fell extra closely on Europe and China, which rely way more on Gulf oil than the US does.

“If there’s no response or if it’s a negative response I think it will be very bad for the future of Nato,” he stated.

Trump additionally issued a pointed warning to Ukraine, framing American help as a favour that now required reimbursement.

“We didn’t have to help them with Ukraine. Ukraine is thousands of miles away from us… But we helped them. Now we’ll see if they help us,” he stated.

Britain known as out

Despite describing the UK as America’s “longest-serving” ally, Trump made clear to the Finanical Times he felt let down by Sir Keir Starmer’s authorities when navy cooperation was wanted most.

He stated that when he “asked for them to come, they didn’t want to come.”

The pressure had already been signalled by Trump’s Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff, who informed GB News the 2 leaders’ relationship was in bother.

“The President’s position is that we do plenty for Europe, plenty for the UK in trade, defence and the support we give to Nato,” Witkoff stated. “Sometimes the response back, the reciprocity… is a little bit lacking. I would leave it at that.”

Ships arrive too late

HMS Dragon has since been despatched to Cyprus, however Trump was unmoved.

“We need these ships before we win, not after we win,” he stated.

The President argued the menace had already handed, claiming Iran had been “essentially decimated” and was now succesful solely of inflicting minor disruption — repeating final week’s line that the battle was received, although not “won enough.”

The combating has continued to assert lives. Six American refuelling crew members killed in a crash in western Iraq have been named on Friday. A French soldier died the day before today in an Iranian drone strike. On Sunday, an Italian plane was destroyed at a base in Kuwait, whereas RAF Akrotiri — Britain’s sovereign base — was hit by a drone launched from Lebanon, escaping with out critical injury.

Oil markets registered the stress, with Brent crude reaching $104 a barrel on Sunday night — its highest level since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.