Donald Trump has suggested the US may reconsider its support for Britain's sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, a move likely to strain the UK-US “special relationship.” Asked about his stance at the White House, the US president told reporters: “I always review every position – that’s just one of many.”
US Position Under Review
The South Atlantic islands are British, but Argentina has long disputed the UK's claim to the archipelago, asserting sovereignty. Argentina's president is also a close ally of Trump. Political tensions over the territory boiled over into conflict in 1982; the war lasted 74 days and ended with an Argentine surrender. Currently, the US takes a neutral position on who has rightful sovereignty over the islands.
Trump's comments are the latest sign that the Oval Office is prepared to use the dispute as leverage to pressure the UK's new Labour government to raise its defence spending and contributions to Nato.
Pressure on UK Defence Spending
An unnamed US official told the Telegraph last week that the White House may change its position regarding the Falkland Islands - or, as they say in Argentina, Islas Malvinas - if Britain fails to meet Trump's demands on a minimum defence spend of five per cent of GDP.
At the weekend, the British government reiterated its position by asserting its “long-standing and unwavering” commitment to ensure the islands remain a British Overseas Territory. A spokesperson said, as per the Independent: “The UK is playing a central role in Nato and strengthening collective defence across Europe. We are Nato's third largest cash spender on defence and the only European NATO member to commit our nuclear deterrent to the alliance.”
Previous Threats
The report in the Telegraph comes following a threat regarding the Falkland Islands made back in April, with a leaked internal Pentagon email that appeared to suggest that the US may withdraw its support regarding Britain's claim to the Falklands as a punitive measure for its perceived lack of support regarding the US offensive in the Iran.
