The transatlantic alliance is showing visible cracks, and this time, it’s playing out in public.
Donald Trump has once again taken aim at Sir Keir Starmer, accusing the Prime Minister of making a “big mistake” by refusing to fully back US military efforts against Iran.
As the war enters its third week and tensions escalate around the Strait of Hormuz, Trump’s frustration is becoming harder to ignore.
Speaking from the White House, the US President made it clear he believes the UK has failed to step up at a critical moment, particularly when it comes to deploying naval support.
The United States has been pushing allies to send vessels to help secure and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil route currently under pressure from Iranian actions. So far, the UK has stopped short of committing Royal Navy assets, a decision Trump openly criticised.
“Well, he hasn’t been supportive, and I think it’s a big mistake,” Trump said.
And the criticism didn’t stop there.
Despite saying he “likes” Starmer and considers him “a nice man”, Trump admitted he was “disappointed” with the Prime Minister’s approach, especially given what he described as a favourable trade deal previously secured between the two nations.
“I went out of my way… we made a good deal for them and, frankly, probably wasn’t appreciated,” he said.
Trump also took issue with the timing of potential UK military support, claiming Starmer had been willing to send aircraft carriers only after the most intense phase of the conflict had already passed.
“We want things sent before the war, not after the war is won,” he added.
The remarks come as oil prices remain stubbornly high, sitting above $100 per barrel, a direct consequence of ongoing disruption in the Strait of Hormuz and Iran’s broader strategy to apply economic pressure through energy markets.
But beyond military coordination, Trump widened his criticism to include Starmer’s domestic policies.
He labelled the Prime Minister’s approach to both immigration and energy as a “disaster”, arguing the UK is failing to capitalise on its own resources.
“You have something that no other country has… the North Sea. Some of the greatest oil deposits in the world, and they don’t use it,” Trump said.
He also claimed that immigration policies across the UK and Europe have allowed “millions and millions” of people into countries “that shouldn’t be there”.
The comments underline a growing divide not just between Washington and London, but across NATO more broadly.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump suggested many allies had been reluctant to support US operations against Iran, describing NATO as a “one-way street”.
“We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us,” he wrote, adding that the US no longer “needs” NATO assistance following what he described as military success.
Despite the sharp rhetoric, Trump stopped short of suggesting any immediate shift in America’s relationship with the alliance.
Still, the message is clear.
As the conflict with Iran intensifies and the global economic stakes rise, unity among Western allies is no longer guaranteed, and the political fallout is beginning to surface just as rapidly as the military one.
