U.S. President Donald Trump has criticized the United Kingdom for only now considering the deployment of aircraft carriers, following an announcement from the British defense ministry that one of its carriers has been placed on heightened alert.
Trump took to Truth Social to comment, saying, “The United Kingdom, once our Greatest Ally, perhaps the greatest ever, is just now contemplating sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East.”
He then addressed UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer directly, warning that the U.S. will “remember” this decision.
“That’s fine, Prime Minister Starmer, we no longer need them — but we will remember. We don’t need allies who join wars after we’ve already achieved victory!” Trump stated.
Earlier on Saturday, the British defense ministry had also noted that the U.S. has begun utilizing British bases for specific defensive measures aimed at deterring Iran from launching missiles in the region.
When questioned by reporters aboard Air Force One about the UK’s offer to use their bases, Trump reiterated his stance, suggesting that the gesture comes too late.
“We don’t need them. It’s not the right time. It would have been nice to have had them two weeks ago,” Trump said.
The aircraft carrier’s state of readiness doesn’t mean that the British government has decided to deploy the HMS Prince of Wales nor that the warship cannot be involved in other planned missions, CNN understands.
Starmer has sought to distinguish between the Americans’ operations, and initially denied the US permission to use British bases for offensive strikes on Iran.
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