Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer publicly handed over an invitation from King Charles for a second state visit to Donald Trump during a meeting at the Oval Office in February 2025, a move described as 'unprecedented' by Starmer. Trump accepted the invitation on the spot, and the visit took place last September, with Trump kept tactfully out of London.
The relationship between Starmer and Trump initially appeared strong, with the two leaders largely in agreement on condemning Russia over Ukraine. However, goodwill evaporated when the US launched an attack on Iran in February 2026 without consulting the UK. Starmer refused to allow the use of RAF bases for the initial bombing, prompting Trump to complain publicly, stating 'This is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with.'
Starmer later permitted attacks on Iranian missile launch sites from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, but avoided deeper involvement. He told MPs: 'President Trump has expressed his disagreement with our decision not to get involved in the initial strikes, but it is my duty to judge what is in Britain’s national interest.'
Analysts view foreign policy as an area of relative strength for Starmer, though longer-term questions about Britain’s security remain unresolved. Sir Peter Westmacott, a former UK ambassador to the US, noted that Starmer got off to a strong start with Trump, but the president’s failure to consult allies over Iran left Starmer with little choice but to stand aside.
