Trump calls UK move to allow US to use bases ‘a very late response’ 

President Trump described the U.K.’s move to allow the U.S. to use British bases to strike Iranian sites targeting the Strait of Hormuz as “late” on Friday. 

“Well, it’s a very late response, the U.K.,” Trump said in response to a question by The Hill as he spoke to reporters outside of the White House before departing for Florida for the weekend.

“I was surprised because the relationship is so good,” he continued. 

“But this has never happened before. They were really pretty much our first ally. … They didn’t want us to use the island — the so-called island — which for some reason they gave up rights to it,” he said. 

Trump was referring to transferring Diego Garcia, an island that is part of the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean, to Mauritius. The U.S. and the U.K. operated a joint naval and bomber base on the island. 

“But this has never happened before,” he said. “I was a little surprised at the U.K. They should have acted a lot faster.” 

Trump’s comments come after U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s office said ministers met on Friday to discuss Iran’s move to block the strait, as well as Tehran’s targeting of unarmed commercial shipping, civilian infrastructure including oil and gas facilities. 

“Ministers condemned Iran’s expansion of its targets to include international shipping. They agreed that Iran’s reckless strikes, including on Red Ensign vessels and those of our close allies and Gulf partners, risked pushing the region further into crisis and worsening the economic impact being felt in the UK and around the world,” a Downing Street spokesperson said. 

 “They confirmed that the agreement for the US to use UK bases in the collective self-defence of the region includes US defensive operations to degrade the missile sites and capabilities being used to attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz,” the spokesperson continued. 

Trump has spent the last week lashing out at U.S. allies over their reluctance to help police the strait. 

“[They] complain about the high oil prices they are forced to pay, but don’t want to help open the Strait of Hormuz, a simple military maneuver that is the single reason for the high oil prices. So easy for them to do, with so little risk. COWARDS, and we will REMEMBER!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post Friday. 

The president’s comments come despite Japan, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands signaling their “readiness” to contribute to efforts to keep the Strait of Hormuz open just one day prior.

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