Donald Trump has launched a fresh tirade against the UK for its stance on his war against Iran, saying Sir Keir Starmer made “a big mistake” and denigrating UK warships as “toys”.
The US president denied that the transatlantic tensions would affect the King’s planned visit to the US.
Mr Trump said he was “very disappointed” by the Prime Minister’s “shocking” refusal to allow US forces to use RAF bases in the initial wave of attacks against Iran.
Referring to the UK-US Diego Garcia base on the Indian Ocean Chagos Islands, he said: “When we needed the island to land that beautiful B2 bomber, we were told we can’t use it.
“We’d have to fly back to Missouri, which is a 17-hour flight, as opposed to a couple of hours. And I said ‘you got to be kidding’. Not good. They made a big mistake.”
Of Sir Keir, Mr Trump also said: “I think he’s a lovely man, but I think he did something that was shocking. He didn’t want to help us.”
The Government later granted permission for “defensive” US action against Iranian missile sites from UK bases.
And after Tehran fired ballistic missiles towards Diego Garcia, ministers last week allowed Washington to use the bases for US “defensive operations to degrade the missile sites and capabilities being used to attack ships” in the Strait of Hormuz, a key oil and gas route being throttled by Iran in response to the US-Israeli campaign against it.
Speaking at a televised White House Cabinet meeting on Thursday, Mr Trump also lashed out again at Nato for doing “absolutely nothing” to help the US in the Middle East conflict.
And he took aim at the UK’s aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales.
He said: “Now they all want to help. When they’re annihilated, the other side is annihilated, they said ‘we’d love to send ships’…
“We had the UK say that ‘we’ll send’ – this is three weeks ago – ‘we’ll send our aircraft carriers’, which aren’t the best aircraft carriers, by the way. They’re toys compared to what we have.
“But ‘we’ll send our aircraft carrier when the war is over’. I said ‘oh that’s wonderful, thank you very much. Don’t bother. We don’t need it’.”
He warned the US would not necessarily support Nato allies militarily, saying: “We’re always going to be there – at least we were, I don’t know about any more to be honest with you, I would have to be honest – we were always there when they needed help.”
Mr Trump insisted the King’s state visit would go ahead.
Asked whether the fallout over the conflict would affect the plans, he said: “No.”
“He’s going to be here very soon, as you know, we’re going have a state dinner,” he said.
“It’s going be great.”
There have been calls for the historic royal trip to be scrapped or delayed because of the ongoing Middle East crisis.
The tour has yet to be officially announced, but the King and Queen are expected to visit Washington and New York in April to mark the 250th anniversary of American independence.
In response to the Republican president’s latest broadside, Downing Street pointed to Sir Keir’s words earlier this week when he said “a lot of what is said or done is undoubtedly said and done to put pressure on me” and vowed to stay “absolutely focused on what is in the British national interest”.
Armed forces minister Al Carns defended the UK and its capabilities.
Asked about Mr Trump’s remarks, he told LBC: “I mean, I’ll leave the American president to say what he needs to say.
“I was the chief of staff of the carrier strike force, spent a lot of time on those carriers. They are formidable capabilities and we have some of the best sailors, airmen, marines and indeed Army on board them.
“When you package them together with all of the different assets around it, they really are a formidable capability. I also am deeply proud of Great Britain. It is exactly that. It’s great.
“We have a right to decide when we want to get involved and when we don’t.”
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said the state visit should be called off after the president’s remarks.
“Trump is yet again insulting our brave armed forces just because we refuse to be dragged into his illegal war,” he said.
“The ‘toys’ he refers to are called HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales.
“What more will it take for Keir Starmer to call off the King’s state visit to the US?”
