In a recent display of humor and sharp critique, Donald Trump took a jab at Sir Keir Starmer, portraying him as indecisive regarding military support in Iran. This incident unfolded during a White House luncheon where Trump entertained attendees with an impersonation of the UK Prime Minister.
The US President assumed a feeble-sounding voice to mimic Starmer, suggesting the Prime Minister was hesitant to deploy British forces to the Middle East. Trump humorously claimed that he had inquired whether the UK could dispatch its “two, old, broken down aircraft carriers” to assist in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial maritime passage that has been blocked since the onset of conflict on February 28.
According to Trump, Sir Keir responded with reluctance, saying, “No, no, no, I have to ask my team. My team has to meet, we’re meeting next week.” This portrayal of indecision prompted Trump to express frustration, noting that by the time of the meeting, the conflict might have already concluded.
The setting for this impersonation was a private lunchtime event at the White House, where Trump’s remarks were captured on a live stream, ensuring a wider audience could witness the President’s satirical take on the situation.
By that point the war might be over, a furious Mr Trump told the audience in the White House.
The private event where Trump spoke took place at lunchtime at the White House and was recorded on a live stream.
It was closed to the press however for unknown reasons the recording of the live stream appears to have been uploaded to YouTube by the White House.
The recording was downloaded by Bryan Metzger, a senior politics reporter for US website Business Insider, who posted the whole thing on X.
Donald Trump has mocked Sir Keir Starmer for his lack of support in Iran with a brutal impersonation during a White House lunch
The US President put on a weak-sounding voice as he mimicked the Prime Minister saying he couldn’t send British forces to the Middle East. (Pictured: The pair in September)
After he had done this, the White House made the recording private on YouTube, meaning it was not accessible to the public any more.
When the Daily Mail contacted the White House for comment, our reporter asked about the President’s remarks about Sir Keir at a ‘White House lunch’ on Wednesday.
A spokesperson for the President, Anna Kelly, did not dispute that he had made the remarks, or that they were made at the lunch.
She said: ‘President Trump has made his disappointment with the United Kingdom and other NATO allies clear, and as the President emphasized: ‘The United States will remember’.’
The President has been angry with Sir Keir for weeks for refusing to let US airplanes use British bases for sorties over Iran.
Sir Keir has since changed his mind but has refused to send British troops and ships to the Strait of Hormuz, which carries 20 percent of the world’s oil.
Its closure is causing petrol prices to spike amid warnings from analysts it could cause an oil shock worse than the 1970s.
Speaking on Wednesday, Sir Keir once again refused Mr Trump’s requests and said that ‘this is not our war’, adding: ‘We will not be drawn into the conflict.’
Mr Trump’s frustration boiled over hours later at a White House lunch that was filmed and uploaded by the White House, according to journalist Bryan Metzger of Business Insider, who posted the whole thing on X, formerly Twitter.
The President drew a comparison between the Prime Minister and King Charles, who is due to make a state visit to Washington later this month.
Mr Trump told the audience: ‘I asked UK who should be our best (ally).
‘The King is coming over here in two weeks, he’s a nice guy, King Charles.
‘(Britain) should be our best but they weren’t our best.
‘I said (to Sir Keir) you have two, old broken down aircraft carriers, do you think you could send them over?’
Putting on a weak sounding voice, Mr Trump said: ‘(Sir Keir said) Ohhh I’ll have to ask my team.
‘I said you’re the Prime Minister, you don’t have to.
‘(Sir Keir said) No, no, no, I have to ask my team. My team has to meet, we’re meeting next week.
Mr Trump said he asked if the UK could send its ‘two, old, broken down aircraft carriers’ to help open up the Strait of Hormuz (pictured)
‘(I said) but the war already started. Next week the war’s going to be over…in three days, my prediction.’
Rather than appease Mr Trump, Sir Keir on Thursday convened a meeting of 35 nations to try and find a way to end the war in Iran.
Sir Keir said that he recently signed a statement saying that Britain was willing to ‘contribute to appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz’.
In addition to the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the Netherlands have also signed.
In his remarks at the White House, Mr Trump also mocked French President Emmanuel Macron, who has also refused to send warships to open the Strait of Hormuz.
The President said Mr Macron was ‘still recovering from the right to the jaw’ and claimed that his wife, Brigitte Macron, ‘treats him extremely badly’.
The comment referenced a video from May last year when the Macrons visited Vietnam that appeared to show Mrs Macron pushing her husband’s face seconds before they disembarked from their plane.
In response to comments, Mr Macron said: ‘Trump talks too much. His remarks are neither elegant nor up to the standard’.
The Daily Mail has contacted the White House and Number 10 for comment.
