After Donald Trump expressed ‘disappointment’ in Sir Keir Starmer over Iran, how will the prime minister respond to the US president’s ‘no Churchill’ jibe?
Speaking alongside German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump said he is “not happy” with the UK and with Starmer, and that “this is not Winston Churchill that we’re dealing with”.
He also repeated his criticisms of the Chagos Islands deal saying: “I will say the UK has been very, very unco-operative with that stupid island that they have, that they gave away and took a 100-year lease; having to do with, perhaps, indigenous people claiming the island that never even saw the island before. What’s that all about?”
His comments came as the UK announced it would send helicopters and an air defence destroyer to Cyprus in response to the growing conflict in the Middle East.
The prime minister confirmed the UK would be sending the HMS Dragon, one of the Royal Navy’s six Type 45 air defence destroyers, after RAF Akrotiri on Cyprus was hit by a drone.
The announcement comes after France said it would send its only aircraft carrier and a contingent of warships to bolster its anti-drone defences in the region.
In a post on X, Starmer said he had spoken to the president of Cyprus and added: "The UK is fully committed to the security of Cyprus and British military personnel based there."
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