President Donald Trump launched a harsh attack on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, asserting, “This is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with,” as relations between Washington and London hit a new low amid the Iran crisis.
Speaking from the Oval Office on March 3, Trump gave a scathing appraisal of the British leader while seated next to German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and in front of a bust of Winston Churchill. He escalated his critique over the UK’s initial refusal to let American forces use British bases for strikes against Iran.
Trump voiced frustration over the delays caused by Britain’s decision, saying it required several days to find alternative options for U.S. military actions. He mentioned the Chagos Islands, calling the UK “very, very uncooperative with that stupid island” and calling the situation “a shame.”
The dispute began after the UK initially blocked the US from using British installations, including the strategic Diego Garcia base in the Chagos Islands, to launch strikes on Iran. The Prime Minister only changed course after Iran’s retaliatory strikes across the Middle East, including a drone strike on RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus that damaged a runway early on March 2.
Trump broadened his attack beyond military coordination, criticizing Starmer’s controversial deal to transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius under a 99-year lease. The agreement, signed in May 2025, transferred sovereignty to Mauritius while allowing the UK and US to keep operating the Diego Garcia base.
The president’s remarks mark an unprecedented public strain on the so-called “special relationship” between the two countries. Trump suggested that other European partners had been far more cooperative during the Iran operations than Britain.
Merz sat with Trump during the Oval Office comments and later told reporters he had “addressed both issues very clearly in a personal conversation,” preferring not to air disputes publicly. Trump praised NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte for his support and announced he was cutting off all trade with Spain after Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez refused U.S. use of jointly operated bases for Iran operations.
The diplomatic row forced Downing Street into damage control. Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Darren Jones defended the government, arguing that the initial U.S. and Israeli strikes did not meet the Prime Minister’s threshold for British involvement.
Starmer rebutted Trump’s criticism in Parliament, insisting his actions served Britain’s national interest. The Prime Minister stressed his government’s principled opposition to certain military interventions, saying it “does not believe in regime change from the skies.”
The UK later deployed the air-defence destroyer HMS Dragon and two Wildcat helicopters equipped for counter-drone duties to the Cyprus area to help protect RAF Akrotiri after the Iranian drone attack. Britain also allowed the use of its bases for defensive strikes following Iran’s subsequent missile and drone launches across the region.
The White House has worried particularly about losing access to Diego Garcia, a vital Indian Ocean base that could have refueled B2 bombers during operations against Iran. Trump had initially approved the UK-Mauritius deal but later denounced it as an “act of great stupidity.”
Despite the public clash, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman sought to downplay the rupture, highlighting decades of cooperation. When asked to define the special relationship, the spokesman insisted Britain and America remain staunch allies.
Trump had told The Sun that the special relationship was “not what it used to be” and said that Starmer had “not been helpful.” He also criticized Britain’s energy and immigration policies during his remarks; Trump’s mother, Mary Anne MacLeod, was born in Scotland.
The public dispute is among the most serious diplomatic breaks between Washington and London in recent memory, with both leaders standing firm. The crisis has drawn criticism from Britain’s Middle Eastern partners, including Cyprus and Gulf states, who accuse London of not sufficiently protecting the region from Iranian strikes.
With Iran continuing attacks and the U.S. seeking alternate bases for operations, including RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, the standoff between Trump and Starmer shows no quick fix. Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides and London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan have commented on the worsening security situation, increasing pressure on the British government to clarify its stance.