US President Donald Trump has said relations between the United States and the United Kingdom have weakened, describing the once-close alliance as no longer as strong as it used to be following disagreements over military action against Iran.
Speaking in an interview with British newspaper The Sun, Trump expresþsed frustration over British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s initial refusal to permit the United States to deploy British military bases during US-Israeli operations targeting Iran.
“This was the most solid relationship of all. And now we have very strong relationships with other countries in Europe,” Trump said, noting closer ties with France and Germany.
In a telephone interview from the White House on Monday evening, the US president reiterated his concerns, saying, “It’s a different world, actually. It’s just a much different kind of relationship that we’ve had with your country before.
“It’s very sad to see that the relationship is obviously not what it was.”
Trump added that Starmer “has not been helpful,” remarking, “I never thought I’d see that. I never thought I’d see that from the UK. We love the UK.”
His comments followed earlier criticism published in The Daily Telegraph, where Trump described the British leader’s response to the strikes as “very disappointing”. Although he later acknowledged Starmer’s eventual approval for limited use of UK bases as “useful”, Trump said the decision “took far too much time.”
Military involvement in Middle East conflicts remains politically sensitive in Britain, largely due to backlash from former prime minister Tony Blair’s support for the US-led invasion of Iraq.
Addressing parliament on Monday, Starmer defended his government’s position, stressing that national interest guided his decision-making.
“President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to get involved in the initial strikes, but it is my duty to judge what is in Britain’s national interest,” he told lawmakers.
“That is what I have done, and I stand by it.”
After initially declining participation, Starmer later approved a US request allowing British bases to be used for a “specific and limited defensive purpose” following Iranian missile launches that officials said threatened British citizens and assets.
“We all remember the mistakes of Iraq, and we have learnt those lessons. Any UK actions must always have a lawful basis and a viable thought-through plan,” he said.
The prime minister also clarified that British facilities in Cyprus — including the Akrotiri air base — were “not being used by US bombers” in the ongoing US-Israeli confrontation with Iran.
An unmanned Iranian drone struck the runway at the Akrotiri base early Monday. Starmer said the attack “was not in response to any decision that we have taken,” adding that authorities believed the drone had been launched before Britain announced its revised stance.
Warning about Tehran’s conduct, Starmer said Iran’s actions were becoming “more reckless and more dangerous.”
“They are working ruthlessly and deliberately through a plan to strike, not only military targets, but also economic targets in the region, with no regard for civilian casualties. That is the situation we face today and to which we must respond,” he added.
