President Donald Trump on Saturday slammed British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, saying he was joining the war in Iran after the U.S. has ‘already won.’<\/p>\n
‘The United Kingdom, our once Great Ally, maybe the Greatest of them all, is finally giving serious thought to sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East,’ Trump wrote on Truth Social. ‘That\u2019s OK, Prime Minister Starmer, we don\u2019t need them any longer \u2014 But we will remember. We don\u2019t need people that join Wars after we\u2019ve already won!’<\/p>\n
Trump\u2019s statement came after the U.K. Ministry of Defense said that one of the country\u2019s two aircraft carriers had been placed on advanced readiness in Portsmouth, England, for a possible mobilization to the Middle East, according to the BBC.<\/p>\n
A British destroyer, HMS Dragon, is also in Portsmouth, waiting to leave for Cyprus after delays.<\/p>\n
Starmer said that while the U.K. wasn\u2019t involved in the strikes, they are ‘operating defensively in the region.’<\/p>\n
In an address to the British people on Sunday, Starmer condemned ‘indiscriminate’ attacks by Iran following the U.S. strikes, adding, ‘the only way to stop the threat is to destroy the missiles at source.’<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
He added that Britain has agreed to the United States\u2019 request to use British bases for that ‘limited’ purpose.<\/p>\n
After the strikes, Trump told the Telegraph in the U.K. that he was ‘very disappointed’ in Starmer, claiming it ‘took far too long’ for the prime minister to allow the U.S. to use British bases in the region. <\/p>\n
British fighter jets are also flying over Jordan, Cyprus and Qatar to strengthen defense in the region, and a Merlin helicopter is on the way for additional airborne surveillance, according to the Ministry of Defense.<\/p>\n
‘While the region has been plunged into chaos, my focus is providing calm, levelheaded leadership in the national interest,’ Starmer said this week. ‘That means deploying our military and diplomatic strength to protect our people. And it means having the strength to stand firm by our values and our principles, no matter the pressure to do otherwise. The longstanding British position is that the best way forward for the regime and world is a negotiated settlement with Iran where they give up their nuclear ambitions.’<\/p>\n
He said that’s why he made the decision that the U.K. would not join the initial coordinated strikes launched by the U.S. and Israel on Feb. 28.<\/p>\n
In Parliament this week, Starmer added, ‘We all remember the mistakes of Iraq, and we have learned those lessons. Any U.K. \u200cactions must \u2060always have a lawful basis, and a viable, thought-through plan,’ Starmer said. ‘This government does not believe in regime change from the skies.’<\/p>\n