The United States has dismissed proposals to review Britain's claim to the Falkland Islands following King Charles' visit to the White House. A leaked internal Pentagon email had suggested that the US was considering reassessing Britain's claim to the territory as a response to the UK's lack of support for the Iran war. However, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio downplayed the reports, telling the Sun that it was 'just an email' and the reaction was 'overexcited'.
The diplomatic row emerged on the eve of the monarch's trip to Washington, threatening to overshadow the visit, with Charles urged to raise the dispute directly with Donald Trump. Rubio was quoted by the newspaper as saying: 'It was just an email. People are getting overexcited by an email. It was just an email with some ideas.'
It is understood that Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper discussed the issue face-to-face with Rubio during a meeting in Washington on Wednesday, during which he repeated the claim that the email had been overblown. The leaked email, apparently drafted by a junior advisor, claimed the US could review its position on Britain's claim to 'imperial possessions' after Prime Minister Keir Starmer refused US jets access to Diego Garcia and mainland bases at the start of the Iran war.
Argentina's libertarian President Javier Milei, a Trump ally, was immediately upbeat about the proposals. 'We are doing everything humanly possible so that the Argentine Malvinas, the islands, the entire territory return to the hands of Argentina,' Milei said in a radio interview posted on his X account. 'We're making progress like never before.' Vice-president Victoria Villarruel insisted: 'The discussion over the sovereignty of our islands is between states, therefore the United Kingdom must discuss bilaterally with Argentina the claim that we maintain for legal, historical, and geographical reasons.'
The Falklands, a British overseas territory located in the south-west Atlantic Ocean, remain the subject of a sovereignty dispute between the UK and Argentina. Britain and Argentina fought a brief war in 1982 over the islands after Argentina made a failed bid to take them. Some 650 Argentine soldiers and 255 British troops died before Argentina surrendered.
A State Department official told the Sun: 'Our position on the islands remains one of neutrality. We acknowledge that there are conflicting claims of sovereignty between Argentina and the UK. We recognise the de facto United Kingdom administration of the islands but take no position regarding sovereignty claims of either party.'
Following Charles' four-day state visit to the US, Trump hailed him as 'the greatest king in my book'. On their last day, Charles and Camilla met locals in the town of Front Royal in Virginia, and the King also laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. Once the royals bid farewell to Trump, he could be heard saying to the media: 'Really great people. We need more people like that in our country.' Before he departed the US, Charles was given a ride on Trump's helicopter to Joint Base Andrews military HQ in Maryland.
Despite American assurances that the Falklands proposal was overblown, the RAF is on 'high alert' and 'ready' to defend the British overseas territory. Writing for The Times, Air Chief Marshal Sir Harv Smyth said fighter aircraft had defended the islands since the 1982 war and the RAF's role in defending the airspace was 'non-negotiable'. He added the air force was prepared to step in at a 'moment's notice' to protect British citizens. 'From "quick reaction alert" in UK, scrambled recently against a suspected Russian "bear" bomber aircraft which was approaching our airspace from the north, to fighter aircraft based in the Falklands (defending the islands since the 1982 war), to our current Typhoon deployment in Romania as part of NATO's vital enhanced air policing mission, the RAF's role in defending airspace is non-negotiable,' he wrote.
Downing Street insisted the sovereignty of the islands is 'not in question' in response to reports of the leaked Pentagon memo. 'Sovereignty rests with the UK and the islands' right to self-determination is paramount. It's been our consistent position and will remain the case,' a spokesperson said.
