An unreliable and volatile American president makes a compelling case for closer security and defence cooperation with continental allies
There is truth to Donald Trump’s declaration earlier this week that the UK-US relationship is “not what it was”, although there is no indication that he understands the reasons for the change.
The US president is “very disappointed” that Sir Keir Starmer has been “uncooperative” in the war against Iran, offering only limited logistical support to American forces. The prime minister’s concession that RAF resources can be involved in defensive operations does not compensate for the prior refusal to put Britain’s military assets at American disposal. It came too late for Mr Trump, whose irritation turned to culture-war jibes about “windmills” ruining British landscapes and a false claim about the prevalence of sharia courts.
Sir Keir is not the only European leader guilty of lèse-majesté. Pedro Sánchez, the Spanish prime minister, has been forthright in opposition to the Iran war. In response, Mr Trump threatened to cut off all trade, saying he no longer wanted “anything to do with Spain”.
Sir Keir is right to keep his distance from a military operation with no justification in law and incoherent objectives. But judicious caution doesn’t protect the UK from repercussions if Mr Trump’s irritation should mutate into a longer grudge.
