Donald Trump openly mocked Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer during a White House lunch, Daily Mail reports, escalating tensions between the United States and the United Kingdom over the ongoing conflict in Iran. The US president allegedly impersonated Starmer in a mocking tone, portraying him as indecisive and unwilling to provide British military support.
“I asked him, can you send your two old, broken aircraft carriers? Trump reportedly told attendees. He then imitated Starmer in what he described as a weak voice: “No, no, no, I have to ask my team. My team has to meet, we’ll meet next week.”
Trump angrily added: “At that point the war could end.
Dispute over military support
The disagreement centers on US efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping lane that has been closed since the conflict began on February 28. The waterway is responsible for transporting around 20 percent of the world’s oil, and its closure has already sparked rising fuel prices and fears of a major global energy shock.
Trump has reportedly been frustrated for weeks by Starmer’s reluctance to allow US aircraft to use British bases for operations over Iran. Although the UK has since allowed limited access, it has stopped short of deploying troops or naval forces to the region.
Starmer reaffirmed his stance earlier in the week: “This is not our war. We will not be drawn into the conflict.”
Diplomatic efforts for military action
Instead of military involvement, Starmer took the diplomatic route. On Thursday, he convened a meeting of 35 countries aimed at de-escalating the crisis and finding a path to peace.
He also noted that the UK had signed a joint statement expressing its willingness to “contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz”. Several countries, including France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the Netherlands, have endorsed this approach.
Trump extends criticism to France
Trump also took aim at French President Emmanuel Macron, who similarly refused to send warships to the region. In a controversial remark, Trump said Macron was “still recovering from his right jaw” and claimed his wife was “treating him extremely badly”.
The comment appeared to refer to a widely circulated video from a previous foreign visit that showed a brief interaction between Macron and his wife before exiting the plane.
Macron dismissed Trump’s remarks, replying: “Trump talks too much. His remarks are neither elegant nor up to standard.”
