Nigel Farage has admitted he has not spoken to Donald Trump for months, as the Reform UK leader voiced concerns about the US president's judgment amid rising tensions in the Middle East. In an interview with the Daily Mail, Farage, who describes Trump as a 'friend', praised his economic and border policies but expressed apprehension about his decision-making.
"I do, as a friend, worry slightly about his judgment on this, yes. I do," Farage told the newspaper. "It will be a terribly sad end to an amazing political career if the man that was always anti-war in the end gets (brought) down by this – I struggle to understand it." His comments come as UK-US relations have become strained following Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer's assertion that Britain would not be 'dragged into' the Iran war.
Farage had previously suggested that Trump was badly advised ahead of military action. He told the Press Association he spoke to the US president 'earlier this year' but not since. The Reform UK leader also signalled plans to scrap Starmer's post-Brexit reset with the EU, arguing a closer economic relationship with the US would be more beneficial. "The starkness of the approach towards money, risk appetite, capital in America and Europe is incredible," he said. "And here's Starmer taking us ever closer back to the European Union."
Farage also called for a 'massive change of thought' on welfare reform and said a Reform UK government would expand oil and gas drilling in the North Sea. "Attitudes are going to have to harden. There's a massive, massive change of thought needed on benefits – that's going to be the biggest war of them all," he said. "And there'll be riots, and there'll be strikes and there'll be protests, and we know all of that, but that's what we're going to have to do – it has to be done. We just can't afford it now."
