Donald Trump has described the US-UK relationship as being in a ‘sad’ place, using a fresh interview to criticise Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and issue a bleak warning about where the country could be heading.
Hostilities in the region intensified earlier this year after the US and Israel carried out a wave of strikes on Iran in February as part of what has been dubbed ‘Operation Epic Fury’.
Pressure also grew around the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran’s actions caused major disruption to shipping routes.
On April 8, the US and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire following disagreements over proposals to pause the fighting. Iran rejected a draft plan for a 45-day to-phased ceasefire framework and instead put forward its own 10-point peace plan.
Despite that pause, the US is now blockading maritime traffic moving in and out of Iranian ports via the Strait of Hormuz, a vital corridor for global oil exports.
Against that backdrop, Trump has aimed criticism at Starmer and the UK, accusing the Prime Minister of having ‘refused to get involved’ in the Iran war.
Previously, Trump claimed that Starmer was ‘not Winston Churchill and that the States’ relationship with the UK was ‘obviously not as it was’
In his latest remarks, Trump said the state of ties between Washington and London has deteriorated, while insisting his view of the Prime Minister would not make an upcoming visit by King Charles and Queen Camilla uncomfortable.
“I think that I like Starmer, but I think he’s made a tragic mistake in closing the North Sea oil,” he told Sky News. “You see, your energy prices are the highest in the world. And I think he’s made a tragic mistake on immigration.”
Trump continued: “How is the relationship? It’s the relationship where: when we asked them for help, they were not there. When we needed them, they were not there. When we didn’t need them, they were not there. And they still aren’t there.”
Asked directly whether the US-UK relationship is ‘very bad’ at the moment, Trump said ‘well, it’s been better, but it’s sad’.
The 79-year-old went on to argue that UK policy choices—particularly on energy and immigration—are worsening the situation.
“And we gave them a good trade deal. Better than I had to. Which can always be changed. But we gave them a trade deal that was very good because they’re having a lot of problems. Energy is causing them problems because, think of it, they won’t use the North Sea, and yet they buy a lot of their energy from Norway, which uses the North Sea, and they pay double the price. What’s going on there?
“See, I love that country. I love your country and I would love to see it succeed. But if you have bad immigration policies and bad energy policies, you have the worst of both. You can’t succeed, not possible.”
He went on: “Well it is. But a lot of people ask me what I think about them, and I think they’re insane. They’re destroying… your country is being invaded.”