US President Donald Trump has revealed that he was “very disappointed” after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer initially refused to allow the United States to use key UK air bases for strikes on Iran.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Trump said the decision marked an unprecedented moment in US-UK relations before Starmer later reversed his stance.
Speaking to the British newspaper, Donald Trump said Prime Minister Keir Starmer had initially forbidden the US from using the Diego Garcia and Fairford bases for operations against Iran.
Trump said he was “very disappointed” by the move, adding that such a situation had “probably never happened between our countries before.”
According to Trump, Starmer prevented the use of the strategically significant Diego Garcia base specifically for strikes against Iran.
Starmer reverses decision on Sunday night
However, Trump said that on Sunday night, Starmer reversed his decision. The British prime minister later agreed to allow limited use of British bases for what he described as “defensive strikes” against Iranian targets.
Trump noted that it took “too long” for Starmer to change his position.
In the interview, Trump suggested that Starmer may have had doubts about the legality of the operation.
“It sounds like he was worried about the legality,” Trump told The Telegraph.
Britain had initially denied permission for US air strikes to be launched from its bases, before eventually accepting the American request under certain conditions.
Strain in long-standing US-UK alliance
Trump’s remarks highlight rare public friction between Washington and London, long considered close allies on defense and security matters.
While the issue was ultimately resolved with limited approval for base usage, Trump made clear he was dissatisfied with how the situation unfolded.
The episode comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East following US military action against Iran.
