US President Donald Trump has described British aircraft carriers as 'toys' in his latest criticism of Nato allies for their lack of involvement in joint US-Israeli strikes on Iran. Speaking at the White House on Thursday, Trump said he told the UK: 'Don't bother, we don't need it.'
Trump claimed he had requested two aircraft carriers from the UK, which Prime Minister Keir Starmer initially rejected and later offered to send after the war. Downing Street has denied that any request was made or denied. Starmer has said he would not permit UK bases to be used for offensive strikes against Iran, though defensive operations are allowed.
The UK has deployed HMS Dragon to the eastern Mediterranean after an Iranian-made missile was launched from Lebanon at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus. Officials are also considering sending a Royal Navy vessel or civilian ship to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which has been closed due to the conflict, affecting global energy supplies.
Trump also mocked the launch of an Iranian missile towards Diego Garcia, a UK-US base in the Chagos Islands, which the UK has agreed to hand over to Mauritius. He said Iran fired 'one missile 2,500 miles' and criticised the UK for being 'very afraid' to give the US the island. Trump expressed disappointment with Nato allies, saying they want to help only after the war ends.
Starmer, speaking at the Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) summit in Helsinki, warned that the threat from Russia has grown amid the Middle East conflict, describing a 'war on two fronts' in Ukraine and Iran. He confirmed that the Ukrainian navy would join a JEF exercise for the first time this autumn.
