UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has declared he will not bow to pressure from US President Donald Trump to join the ongoing conflict in Iran, emphasizing that military involvement is not in Britain's national interest.
During Prime Minister's Questions, Starmer responded to Trump's recent criticism by stating: "I'm not going to change my mind, I'm not going to yield, it is not in our national interest to join this war and we will not do so." The prime minister's firm stance comes after Trump told Sky News that when the US requested UK assistance, "they were not there."
Trump's comments included a veiled threat about the US-UK trade agreement, suggesting it "can always be changed." The president described the special relationship between the two nations as having "been better, but it's sad," and when asked to characterize the relationship, he responded with a dismissive "With who?"
"My position on Iran has been clear from the start, we're not going to get dragged into this war," Starmer told Parliament. "It is not our war, a lot of pressure has been applied to me to take a different course and that pressure included what happened last night."
The tension between the leaders has been building for weeks, with Trump repeatedly criticizing Starmer's refusal to authorize direct military involvement in the US-Israel campaign against Iran that began in late February. The US president has gone so far as to label the British leader "no Winston Churchill."
Despite the public friction, the prime minister's spokesperson maintained that the UK continues to have "a close relationship" with the US, describing it as existing "on multiple levels" and spanning "trade, diplomacy, national security, culture, and beyond."
Chancellor Rachel Reeves, currently in Washington for the International Monetary Fund's spring summit, expressed frustration with Trump's approach to the conflict. She told The Mirror: "This is a war that we did not start. It was a war that we did not want. I feel very frustrated and angry that the US went into this war without a clear exit plan, without a clear idea of what they were trying to achieve."
The IMF has warned that the UK will be the hardest-hit advanced economy as a result of the conflict, cutting its growth forecast for Britain this year from 1.3% to 0.8%. The organization noted that the UK, as a net importer of energy, remains particularly vulnerable to rapid increases in energy prices.
In his interview, Trump offered mixed messages about his relationship with Starmer, saying he "liked" the prime minister while criticizing UK immigration and energy policies as "insane." He clarified that the diplomatic strain would not affect the upcoming royal state visit by King Charles and Queen Camilla, noting: "I've known the King for a long time, and he's not involved in that process."