In a pointed critique today, Donald Trump referred to the United Kingdom’s aircraft carriers as mere “toys” in comparison to the United States’ military assets. This comment marks another instance of the U.S. President expressing dissatisfaction with the UK’s perceived lack of support for his administration’s conflict with Iran.
This latest comment adds to the growing tensions within the ‘special relationship’ between the U.S. and the UK, as Trump openly criticized the Royal Navy’s capabilities while addressing NATO allies. He claimed that the UK had proposed deploying its two carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, only after hostilities in the Middle East had ceased, suggesting he told UK Labour leader Keir Starmer, “don’t bother.”
Downing Street has previously refuted Trump’s claims, stating that no such offer to deploy UK aircraft carriers was made to support the conflict. The UK government maintains its position against direct involvement in the Middle East tensions.
Meanwhile, Keir Starmer has shown increasing hesitation about the UK’s involvement, particularly as the conflict has already led to a noticeable rise in energy prices, affecting consumers and economies alike.
Addressing the media at the White House on Thursday, President Trump remarked, “The British said ‘we’ll send our aircraft carriers’ – which aren’t the best aircraft carriers, by the way, they are toys compared to what we have – ‘we’ll send our aircraft carrier when the war is over.’ I said ‘that’s wonderful, thank you very much – don’t bother.'” This comment underscores the ongoing strain in diplomatic relations between the two long-standing allies.
Speaking to reporters at the White House on Thursday, the US President said: ‘The British said ”we’ll send our aircraft carriers” – which aren’t the best aircraft carriers by the way, they are toys compared to what we have – ”we’ll send our aircraft carrier when the war is over”. I said ”that’s wonderful, thank you very much – don’t bother”.’
Trump later added, ‘We don’t need it. And we don’t need them.’
However it comes at a time when the Royal Navy’s ability to wage war and defend Britain is being thrown further into doubt, after we had to ask Germany for the use of a warship to keep a major Nato commitment.
Berlin has deployed the frigate Sachsen with British officers aboard as the flagship of an alliance maritime task group in place of HMS Dragon, which was sent to help defend Cyprus from Iranian attacks.
Defence Secretary John Healey was this morning unable to say how many of the Royal Navy’s surface fleet of 17 frigates and destroyers is currently fit to fight, when grilled over the state of the service.
President Donald Trump speaks during a Cabinet meeting at the White House, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Washington. He described Britain’s aircraft carriers as ‘toys’ in his latest swipe at the UK
The Royal Navy aircraft carrier HMS Prince of Wales in dock at Portsmouth Harbour, Hampshire. Picture date: Wednesday, March 4, 2026
The US President’s remarks come after Downing Street previously rejected Trump’s claims that it offered to send aircraft carriers to the war. Pictured: HMS Prince of Wales
Trump also said that the Iranian attack on the Diego Garcia military base last week shows the capabilities Iran has.
He said: ‘They shot at the now famous island, the island which the UK was really afraid to give us because they didn’t want to get dragged in, well, we don’t want to get dragged into their wars either.
‘One thing we are very disappointed with is NATO because NATO has done absolutely nothing.’
Trump also took to social media to continue his attacks on NATO for failing to assist in the US and Israeli strikes on Iran, as the conflict nears its one-month mark.
Writing in a Truth Social post this morning, the president said: ‘NATO nations have done absolutely nothing to help with the lunatic nation, now militarily decimated, of Iran.
‘The USA needs nothing from NATO, but ‘Never Forget’ this very important point in time,’ he added.
The US President’s remarks about NATO and Britain come after he previously said that Sir Keir Starmer is ‘no Winston Churchill’ while fuming at the Prime Minister’s reluctance to allow America to use British bases to launch attacks on Tehran.
Last week, the UK gave American forces the green light to run ‘defensive’ operations from its military sites, such as Diego Garcia.
Sir Keir also extended that to action, aiming to reopen the crucial Strait of Hormuz – amid mounting panic over choked off oil supplies.
However, the PM assured Cyprus that RAF Akrotiri will not be used for strikes.
Starmer has been accused of overseeing a defence ‘shambles’ over the state of the Royal Navy after it emerged Britain had to ask Germany for the use of a warship to keep a major commitment.
Germany has deployed the frigate Sachsen with British officers aboard as the flagship of an alliance maritime task group in place of HMS Dragon, which was sent to help defend Cyprus from Iranian attacks.
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But the move billed by Berlin as ‘an expression of the close (Germany-UK) partnership’ has raised alarm bells about how many warships the UK can field at a time.
Defence Secretary John Healey was this morning unable to say how many of the Royal Navy’s surface fleet of 17 frigates and destroyers is currently fit to fight, when grilled over the state of the service.
It came as Sir Keir again refused to say when he will reveal the much-delayed blueprint for increasing spending on the UK’s Armed Forces, even as he warned of the threat posed by Russia to world peace.
Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge told the Mail the situation was ‘a complete shambles’.
It also comes as Trump threatened Iran with devastating attacks unless it accepts a 15-point White House peace plan, possibly through indirect talks brokered by Pakistan.
Pakistan’s top diplomat confirmed that those negotiations were ongoing as military activity continued to escalate.
Iran denies participating in any negotiations despite efforts by Egypt and other nations to assist, and has cemented its control over the vital Strait of Hormuz, using it as a pressure point for the world economy.
Israel, meanwhile, says it will press ahead with more attacks.
The US President previously said that Sir Keir Starmer is ‘no Winston Churchill’ while fuming at the Prime Minister’s reluctance to allow America to use British bases to launch attacks on Tehran
Israeli security forces cordon off the area following a projectile strike on south Tel Aviv on March 26, 2026
In an online post, Trump insisted Tehran was ‘begging’ for a deal and warned of further military escalation if one is not reached.
‘They better get serious soon, before it is too late, because once that happens, there is NO TURNING BACK, and it won’t be pretty!’ he wrote on Truth Social.
Since launching the war alongside Israel on February 28, Trump has vacillated among different stated objectives, including toppling the Islamic Republic, eliminating its disputed nuclear programme and degrading its missile capabilities.
Now he’s focused on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil passed before Iran effectively seized control of the waterway in response to the surprise US-Israeli bombardment.
Israel says it still hopes to foment an uprising against Iran’s leaders.
Pakistan’s top diplomat, Ishaq Dar, said indirect talks between the United States and Iran are still ongoing, publicly acknowledging Pakistan’s role for the first time.
Pakistan, which borders Iran, is keen to restore regional stability and stem the war’s impact on energy prices. By stepping in as a mediator, it positions itself as a useful US partner.
It has also joined Trump’s Board of Peace, an initiative that grew out of the Gaza ceasefire.
Press TV, the English-language broadcaster on Iranian state television, said Iran has its own five-point proposal, which includes reparations and recognition of its sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz.
This is a breaking story; more to follow.
