Featured Image Credit: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
Topics: Donald Trump, Iran
William Morgan
President Donald Trump started his week by calling all of America's friends, from its oldest ally to its newest frenemy, and asking them for help escorting oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz.
From France to South Korea, they all said no, leading to some furious tirades from the president on Monday (March 16), where he unloaded on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and the 'special relationship' with the UK, which Trump said used to be 'the Rolls-Royce of allies'.
Trump had previously issued a warning to NATO allies if they didn't assist him in securing the Strait, as Iran has instigated a blockade of the passage, which is primarily used to export goods such as crude oil, resulting in global prices skyrocketing.
In a number of angry remarks filmed at the White House, President Trump revealed the details of a private phone call with his UK counterpart, ridiculing 'terrible' Starmer for failing to offer mine sweeping vessels or ships as he had to talk to 'his team' first.
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This deference to military planners and collective decision making infuriated the president, who told reporters: "I said: ‘You don’t need to meet with the team. You’re the Prime Minister, you can make [up] your own [mind]’."
After starting the year by threatening European territory in Greenland and dismissing the contribution of their armed forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, Trump said: “I was very surprised with the United Kingdom. Two weeks ago, I said: ‘Why don’t you send some ships over?’ And he [Starmer] really didn’t want to do it."
The president continued: “You’re our oldest ally, and we spend a lot of money on, you know, NATO and all of these things to protect you. I mean, we’re protecting them…
“I think it’s terrible... I was not happy with the UK. I think they’ll be involved, maybe, but they should be involved enthusiastically.”
But despite these hard words, Starmer stood by his decision and told the British public in a televised address: “While taking the necessary action to defend ourselves and our allies, we will not be drawn into the wider war."
He continued: "We will keep working towards a swift resolution that brings security and stability back to the region and stop the Iranian threat to its neighbours.
“I want to see an end to this war as quickly as possible, because the longer it goes on, the more dangerous the situation becomes, and the worse it is for the cost of living back here at home.”
The UK was not alone in publicly disagreeing with the US on allied involvement in Iran, with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz saying that the US-Iran war is 'not a matter for NATO', after Trump said the defensive alliance never came to America's aid.
In fact, the only time that NATO's all-defends-one principle has been activated was after 9/11, and all of the US' allies heard the call.
Speaking on a busy day for international press conferences in Europe, Merz added that America 'did not consult us prior to this war'. “There was never a joint decision on whether to intervene. That is why the question of how Germany might contribute militarily does not arise. We will not do so,” he said.