President Donald Trump has launched a brutal attack on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, declaring “this is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with” as tensions between Washington and London reached a new low over the Iran crisis.
Speaking from the Oval Office on March 3, Trump delivered a withering assessment of the British leader while seated alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and positioned in front of a bust of Britain’s wartime prime minister. The president intensified his criticism over the UK’s initial refusal to allow American forces to use British military bases for strikes against Iran.
Trump expressed open frustration with the delays caused by Britain’s decision, revealing it took several days to arrange alternative arrangements for U.S. military operations. The president referenced the Chagos Islands, calling the UK “very, very uncooperative with that stupid island” and describing the situation as “a shame.”
The conflict erupted after the UK initially blocked the United States from using British bases, including the strategic facility at Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands, to launch strikes on Iran over the weekend. The Prime Minister only reversed course after Iran retaliated with attacks across the Middle East, including a drone strike on RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus that hit a runway early on March 2.
Trump expanded his criticism beyond military cooperation, taking aim at Starmer’s controversial decision to negotiate the handover of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius under a 99-year lease arrangement. The deal, signed in May 2025, allows the UK and US to continue operating the Diego Garcia military base while transferring sovereignty of the archipelago to Mauritius.
The president’s comments represent an unprecedented public breach in the so-called “special relationship” between the two nations. Trump suggested that other European allies had proven far more cooperative during the Iran operations than Britain.
Merz sat alongside Trump during the Oval Office remarks, later telling reporters he “addressed both issues very clearly in a personal conversation” because he preferred not to air conflicts publicly. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte received praise from the president for his support. Trump also announced he was cutting off all trade with Spain after Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez denied the U.S. permission to use jointly operated military bases for Iran operations.
The diplomatic crisis has forced Downing Street into damage control mode. Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Darren Jones defended the government’s position, stating that the initial U.S. and Israeli strikes did not meet the Prime Minister’s criteria for British involvement.
Starmer himself pushed back against Trump’s criticism during parliamentary proceedings, insisting he acted in Britain’s national interest. The Prime Minister made clear his government’s philosophical opposition to certain military actions, stating his administration “does not believe in regime change from the skies.”
The UK subsequently deployed the air-defense destroyer HMS Dragon and two Wildcat helicopters with counter-drone capabilities to the Cyprus region to help defend RAF Akrotiri after the Iranian drone attack. Britain also permitted the use of its bases for defensive strikes following Iran’s retaliatory missile and drone launches across the Middle East.
The White House has expressed particular concern about losing access to Diego Garcia, a crucial airbase in the Indian Ocean that could have refueled B2 bombers during operations against Iran. Trump had previously signed off on the UK’s deal with Mauritius but has since reversed course, criticizing it as an “act of great stupidity.”
Despite the public spat, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman attempted to downplay the rift, emphasizing decades of cooperation. When asked to characterize the special relationship, the spokesman insisted Britain and America remain staunch allies.
Trump had previously told The Sun newspaper that the special relationship was “not what it used to be” and described Starmer as having “not been helpful.” The president, whose mother Mary Anne MacLeod was born in Scotland, also criticized Britain’s energy and immigration policies during his latest remarks.
The public dispute marks one of the most serious diplomatic ruptures between Washington and London in modern history, with both leaders showing little willingness to back down from their positions. The crisis has also drawn criticism from Britain’s Middle Eastern allies, including Cyprus and Gulf states, who have accused London of failing to adequately protect the region from Iranian missile strikes.
With Iran continuing attacks across the region and the U.S. seeking alternative bases for operations, including RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, the standoff between Trump and Starmer shows no signs of immediate resolution. Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan have both weighed in on the deteriorating security situation, adding to pressure on the British government to clarify its position.