Trump rejects UK’s offer to send aircraft carriers to Middle East: ‘We will remember’
President Trump on Saturday rejected a UK offer to send two aircraft carriers to the Middle East amid the US conflict with Iran, warning the US “will not forget”; apparently alluding to the United Kingdom’s hesitancy to join the war.
“The United Kingdom, once our greatest ally and perhaps our greatest, is finally seriously considering sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East,” Trump wrote. Real Social.
“No problem, Mr. Prime Minister. [Keir] We don’t need them anymore – But we will remember,” Starmer added. “We don’t need people joining the Wars after we’ve won!”
Trump’s statement came after the UK Ministry of Defense said it was preparing an aircraft carrier ahead of a possible deployment. Guard It was reported early Saturday.
The Navy’s flagship, HMS Prince of Wales, was preparing for mobilisation, but a ministry spokesman told the news outlet there had been no decision on deploying the aircraft carrier. If deployed, it will join HMS Dragon, which is already en route to the Middle East.
The spokesman told The Guardian that RAF Typhoon and F-35 jets were flying over Jordan, Qatar and Cyprus to “defend British interests”.
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said on Friday there was a “legal basis” for the Royal Air Force to participate in attacks on Iran’s missile sites. Stating that Britain would be justified in protecting British interests in the region, the official added that Britain could strike missile sites “that intend to attack our people in the region.”
Lammy’s comments caused uproar in the UK, with British MPs demanding an explanation from Starmer’s government.
Starmer had announced the previous day that he would send four more Typhoon jets and anti-drone-enabled Wildcat helicopters, which arrived in Cyprus on Friday, to help defense efforts in Qatar. This was after a while drone attack It hit a British air base, causing minor damage and no casualties.
Days earlier, Starmer had initially said his government “does not believe in regime change from above”.
Trump criticized Britain and Spain on Wednesday for their handling of the conflict. Spain did not allow the USA to use its bases for its operation in Iran. Trump criticized Britain’s agreement to return the Chagos Islands, where the joint US-UK military base in Diego Garcia is located, to Mauritius.
Trump had previously argued that the use of the Diego Garcia military base would be necessary “to neutralize a potential attack by a highly unstable and dangerous Regime,” he wrote on Truth Social on February 18.
He touched on this on Wednesday when he criticized Britain, saying Starmer was “no Winston Churchill”.
Last month, before the US and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran on February 28, Britain blocked the US from using its bases. Starmer made this decision over concerns that it would violate international law.
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