Trump Vs Starmer Over Iran War: US Says ‘Don’t Need People That Join Wars After We’ve Already Won’

Last Updated:March 08, 2026, 05:56 IST

According to reports, one of Britain’s two aircraft carriers, HMS Prince of Wales, has been placed on advanced readiness in Portsmouth.

US President Donald Trump with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. (AFP file photo)

Donald Trump criticised the United Kingdom on Saturday after reports that the latter was considering sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East. In a post on his Truth Social, Trump said the United States no longer needed British support and accused the British government of joining the war late.

Addressing UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump said the US did not need allies who joined wars after they had already been won.

What Trump said?

Trump wrote on Truth Social that the United Kingdom, “our once Great Ally, maybe the Greatest of them all,” was finally giving serious thought to sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East.

“That’s OK, Prime Minister Starmer, we don’t need them any longer — But we will remember,” Trump wrote.

“We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won!” he added.

UK has not joined offensive operations

The UK government has not joined offensive military operations or given any commitment to do so. Reports earlier said one aircraft carrier had been placed on an advanced state of readiness in case it needed to be deployed to the region.

However, the UK has allowed the US to use British bases for defensive operations.

British aircraft carrier placed on readiness

According to reports, one of Britain’s two aircraft carriers, HMS Prince of Wales, has been placed on advanced readiness in Portsmouth.

Trump, however, accused the move of being too little, too late.

Relations between Washington and London over Iran had already faced differences. Prime Minister Keir Starmer earlier withheld permission for the US to use British military bases to launch its initial strikes on Iran.

He instead said efforts should focus on de-escalating the conflict. Trump responded by saying Starmer “is not Winston Churchill”.

The British prime minister later said the UK had agreed to a US request to use British military bases for “defensive” strikes on Iranian missile sites, but stressed that Britain would not join offensive action.

Meanwhile, the British warship HMS Dragon is being loaded with ammunition as it prepares to sail to protect a military base in Cyprus next week.

On Saturday, United States B-1 bomber jets were also seen landing at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire.

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