Keir Starmer inherited two wars and a disconnected EU relationship when he became prime minister, but the real challenge came with Donald Trump’s return to the White House, which undermined the UK’s most important alliance. Analysts say foreign policy has been an area of relative strength for Starmer, though longer-term security questions remain unresolved.
Starmer initially built a rapport with Trump, handing over an invitation from King Charles for a second state visit during a February 2025 Oval Office meeting. The ensuing state visit last September saw muted disagreements, with both leaders condemning Russia over Ukraine. However, Trump’s early presidency favoured Russia and lambasted Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, alarming European leaders.
When Zelenskyy visited the Oval Office again in August, Starmer joined other European leaders to show support. Days earlier, Trump had met Russia’s Vladimir Putin in Alaska and appeared convinced Ukraine should give up territory. The show of strength worked, and the Russian demand drifted from the agenda. Starmer insisted peace must be lasting, fair and just.
Goodwill evaporated when Trump moved to Iran. The UK was not informed of the US-Israeli attack on Iran in February, which killed the supreme leader. Trump complained about Starmer’s initial refusal to allow use of RAF bases for bombing, calling him “not Winston Churchill”. Starmer avoided a deeper split, allowing only attacks on Iranian missile launch sites from RAF Fairford.
“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,” Starmer told MPs. Sir Peter Westmacott, former UK ambassador to the US, said Starmer had shown strength but had little choice but to stand aside from the Iran war, a move popular with the British public.
