During the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, images captured Donald Trump with his eyes closed while speaking with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, suggesting the outgoing PM’s conversation failed to engage the US president. The summit, held over two days, featured multiple discussions between the two leaders, but Trump appeared unimpressed in nearly every photograph.
Trump Criticises UK's Middle East Stance
While away from Starmer, Trump attacked some of the Prime Minister’s recent decisions, though he adopted a milder tone given Starmer’s impending departure. At a press conference concluding the summit, Trump emphasised “unification” among allies and claimed there was “tremendous love in that room” – while he was awake.
Trump specifically criticised the UK’s response to the Middle East conflict. He stated: “Almost all of the countries have been good. They just had a bad moment. They didn't help us. We didn't need the help, but if we would have wanted the help.” He expressed displeasure that allies “would rather remain on the sidelines”.
UK Restrictions on US Military Bases
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had refused to grant the US unrestricted use of UK military bases for strikes against Iran, limiting authorisation to defensive attacks on missile sites. Washington also dismissed a UK and French-led proposal to safeguard the Strait of Hormuz after hostilities ended.
Trump remarked: “The UK gave an answer that was sort of weirder than that. I said 'Would you like to help?' They said 'We do, but we want to wait till the war is over'. This was not in the spirit of Winston Churchill.”
New US Aircraft Debuts in UK
Despite tensions, Trump used the Ankara trip to mark the inaugural international journey of new US aircraft. He announced on Truth Social that he would fly an older Air Force One plane “for old time's sake” to RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk, while the new plane visited the same base for personnel tours. Mildenhall serves as a primary refuelling station for military and VIP aircraft.
