Donald Trump mocked Keir Starmer by putting on a weak-sounding voice and mimicking him saying he couldn't send UK forces to the Middle East without consulting his team. Trump also said he asked if Britain could send its 'two, old, broken down aircraft carriers' to help open up the Strait of Hormuz. He slammed Starmer for refusing to provide military assistance, stating he was disappointed and that Starmer is no Winston Churchill. This direct criticism comes as Iran has effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane, in retaliation for US and Israeli attacks that began on February 28. Before the start of the US operation against Iran, the UK initially refused to allow Washington to carry out strikes from bases such as Diego Garcia and Fairford, citing international law.
Keir Starmer said Donald Trump is seeking to 'put pressure on me in different ways' but he won't 'buckle under pressure'. He vowed he is 'not going to waver' on the issue of getting more involved in the Iran war. In response to the crisis, Starmer said the UK will host a meeting of about 35 countries to discuss reopening the Strait of Hormuz. Trump has launched criticisms of Keir Starmer over his stance on the Iran war on at least nine different days. On January 20, Trump called Starmer's deal on the Chagos archipelago an 'act of great stupidity' and 'total weakness'. On February 18, he said the Chagos agreement was a 'big mistake' and spelled out the connection to potential use of Diego Garcia and RAF Fairford for attacks on Iran. On March 2, Trump said he was 'very disappointed in Keir' for taking too long to reverse his decision on UK bases.
I am disappointed with Keir Starmer. Unfortunately Keir is no Winston Churchill.
British troops intercepted at least five Kamikaze drones shot down by UK forces in Iraq after Iranian troops targeted a base in Iraqi Kurdistan. UK Typhoon and F-35B warplanes have continued defensive patrols over Qatar, Bahrain, the UAE, Jordan and the Eastern Mediterranean. The UK's Ministry of Defence placed the aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales on 'high readiness'. Reform UK's Robert Jenrick suggested Trump's mockery shows Starmer isn't respected on the world stage. Jenrick said the relationship between Starmer and Trump has 'irreparably' broken. Sir John Major attacked Donald Trump over the Iran war and accused Keir Starmer of a 'demeaning' policy of 'tiptoeing' around the president. Major said Trump should have sought UN backing for the war and claimed it would not end hostilities in the Middle East. He also condemned US vice president JD Vance and defence secretary Pete Hegseth for 'shameful' attacks on Europe and NATO.
Donald Trump said he is considering pulling the US out of NATO, calling it a 'paper tiger'. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the US would 'have to reexamine' its relationship with NATO after the conflict. Keir Starmer defended NATO, calling it 'the single most effective military alliance the world has ever seen'. Trump has signed off the deployment of 5,000 marines, possibly for a 'boots on the ground' operation to help open the Strait of Hormuz. Donald Trump posted footage of Iran's largest bridge being destroyed, bragging about its destruction and warning of more to follow if no settlement is reached. Eight people were killed and 95 wounded in the bridge attack, according to Iran's state media. US Army Chief of Staff Randy George is retiring immediately on the orders of Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth.
The biggest bridge in Iran comes tumbling down, never to be used again.
US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth launched a veiled attack on the UK, suggesting 'the rest of the world' and 'our so-called allies' should take notes from Israel's capabilities. Hegseth previously made sarcastic comments about the Royal Navy, calling it the 'big, bad Royal Navy' and saying it 'ought to be prepared to step up'. Donald Trump referred to the UK as a 'once great ally' in his post, signaling a deepening rift between the two countries. Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Donald Trump discussed the war in a phone call after Trump's criticism. Starmer shared condolences with Donald Trump over the deaths of seven US soldiers in the conflict. The UK government increased its involvement in the war on Iran, widely considered illegal under international law. The UK Defence Ministry said the Starmer government allowed the US to use military bases like RAF Fairford and Diego Garcia for 'limited defensive purposes'. Initially, there were reports that Keir Starmer had blocked US use of the bases.
At least 2,000 people have died in the US-Israeli war on Iran. Keir Starmer warned the longer the crisis goes on, the worse its impact will be on the cost of living, and defended his approach of not allowing UK forces to be drawn into a 'wider war'. A YouGov poll shows 41% of UK voters believe Keir Starmer handled the Iran war response badly, while 37% thought he responded well. 70% of UK voters oppose the UK joining a US offensive in Iran, and 57% believe Donald Trump was wrong to take military action. Starmer announced a £53 million energy support package and stated the UK 'will not be drawn into the wider war' but did not rule out future involvement in keeping the Strait of Hormuz open. An estimated 1,332 people have been killed in Iran, and seven US service members have died in the conflict.
We don't want another Neville Chamberlain.
Russian media described the Iran war as long, punishing, and very expensive, adding that Trump wanted to strangle Tehran but has tightened the noose around his own neck. Donald Trump raged at Keir Starmer and European leaders, saying most NATO allies were unwilling to take part in the military operation and his requests for assistance in securing the Strait of Hormuz were rejected. US President Donald Trump said on 16 March that he is 'not happy' with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer for initially declining to send military equipment to the Middle East when the US-Israeli operation against Iran began. Trump described the UK as the US's 'oldest ally' and noted the US spent 'a lot of money' on NATO and protecting Ukraine from Russia. He said Keir Starmer told him he planned to meet his team to decide whether to join efforts to ensure the security of the Strait of Hormuz. On 7 March, Trump criticised the UK for being slow to make decisions, claiming the US and Israel had almost won the war against Iran.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer later relented and said he would grant the US access to Diego Garcia for 'that specific and limited defensive purpose'. The exact timeline and details of this reversal, including when and why the decision changed, remain unclear. It is also unknown what specific 'limited defensive purposes' the UK has allowed, and whether this includes any offensive operations. The current status and deployment plans for the 5,000 US marines Trump signed off are not confirmed, including whether they will engage in 'boots on the ground' operations. The full extent of UK military involvement beyond defensive patrols and base access, such as potential future roles in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, has not been detailed. Furthermore, the accuracy and verification of casualty figures reported by different sources are uncertain, given discrepancies in numbers.
You've allowed millions and millions and millions of people to come into your country that shouldn't be there.
I do not need the UK to deploy aircraft carriers to the Middle East.
I am not happy with Keir Starmer for initially declining to send military equipment to the Middle East when the US-Israeli operation against Iran began.