US President Donald Trump has broken his silence on Sir Keir Starmer's resignation as leader of the Labour Party, delivering a blunt assessment that the Prime Minister had 'hurt himself very, very badly'. Trump made the remarks in an interview following Starmer's announcement outside 10 Downing Street on Monday, June 22.
Trump's Assessment of Starmer's Failures
Trump described Starmer as 'a very nice man' and 'sort of a friend', but immediately highlighted two critical problems: energy and immigration. 'He was not good to us with NATO… he said we can't use the island,' Trump said, referring to disputes over US access to UK bases. The President also criticised Starmer's environmental policies, claiming the UK had avoided drilling for oil in the North Sea, which contributed to his downfall.
Trump added that rising crime in the UK was another factor behind the resignation. 'He's really hurt himself very, very badly,' Trump stated.
Tumultuous Relationship Between Leaders
Trump and Starmer have had a publicly strained relationship, clashing over Iran and UK support for US military operations. Before Starmer's resignation, Trump posted on Truth Social: 'Keir Starmer will resign as Prime Minister of The United Kingdom. He failed badly on two very important subjects—IMMIGRATION AND ENERGY (OPEN NORTH SEA OIL!). I wish him well! President DJT'
Starmer resigned later that day in an emotional statement, acknowledging he had lost the support of his MPs and promising an 'orderly handover of power' to his successor.
Andy Burnham Poised to Take Over
The man perceived to be on course to enter No. 10 is Andy Burnham, who arrived in Westminster just hours before Starmer's announcement following a by-election success in Makerfield. If Burnham is the only candidate to secure the necessary support for the Labour leadership contest, he could become prime minister in mid-July. He was formally sworn in as an MP at around 2.40pm, five hours after Starmer's resignation.
