British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Friday said that US President Donald Trump’s recent rhetoric regarding the destruction of Iran is inconsistent with British values. This marks the latest friction point in increasingly tense relations between the two leaders.
“Let me be really clear about this. They are not words I would use — ever use — because I come at this with our British values and principles,” Starmer told ITV in an interview when asked about Trump’s Truth Social post on Tuesday, warning Tehran to come to a deal or face dire consequences.
The rift deepened after Starmer denied the US government requested levels of access to British military bases during the Iran conflict. In response, Trump launched a series of personal attacks, claiming Starmer lacks the stature of Winston Churchill. He further compared the Prime Minister to Neville Chamberlain, the pre-war leader famously associated with the failed policy of appeasement toward Adolf Hitler.
Prior to the US-Iran ceasefire, Trump had threatened to annihilate Iran’s power grids and bridges.
His warning that “a whole civilization will die tonight” unless Tehran complied with his demands drew widespread international condemnation, with critics labelling the statement as a threat to commit war crimes.
“I’m clear that for the United Kingdom, we have our principles, we have our values. We will be guided by them in everything that we do,” Starmer said.
“That’s why I’ve said — and obviously it’s caused a degree of criticism and pressure in the last few weeks — I’ve been saying we are not going to be dragged into this war,” the premier added, referring to Trump’s repeated criticism of him for not expanding Britain’s role in the war beyond allowing US forces use of UK military bases for defensive operations.
Starmer says talks with Trump focused on military assets, Hormuz
Starmer also said that his recent conversation with US President Donald Trump focused on military assets and the logistics of navigating the Strait of Hormuz.
“We’ve been pulling together a coalition of countries … working on a political, diplomatic plan, but also looking at military capabilities and … the logistics of actually moving vessels through the Strait,” Starmer said during his visit to the Gulf.
“That was the focus of the discussion last night – reflection on what I’ve been discussing here, but also that focus on a practical plan in relation to navigation through the Strait.”
“The leaders discussed the need for a practical plan to get shipping moving again as quickly as possible,” according to a readout provided by Starmer’s office.
When questioned about Trump’s threats to exit NATO, Starmer avoided a direct response, though he emphasised that the alliance serves the strategic interests of both the United States and Europe.
“NATO is a defensive alliance which, for decades, has kept us much safer than we would otherwise have been,” he said.
