Donald Trump could punish Keir Starmer for Iran inaction by backing ARGENTINA over Falkland Islands

Alice Tomlinson
Fri, 24 Apr 2026 06:42:34 +0000

President Donald Trump could punish Sir Keir Starmer for his inaction over Iran by backing Argentina's claim to the Falkland Islands.

An email circulating within the Pentagon outlines potential US responses to what it sees as inadequate support from NATO allies in the Iran conflict, including suspending Spain from the alliance and reassessing its stance on the Falkland Islands.

The memo expresses frustration over some allies’ reluctance to join the war or grant the US access to airbases and overflight rights (ABO) for Operation Fury, the paused US-Israeli offensive against Iran.

It wrote ABO is "just the absolute baseline for Nato", according to a US official who spoke to Reuters under anonymity.

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The official added that options to punish Nato allies were being circulated amongst senior Pentagon staff.

One suggestion includes reassessing the US's support for longstanding "imperial possessions" of Europe, such as the Falkland Islands.

The US's current position is that the islands are administered by the UK, but Argentina still claims the archipelago.

Reacting to the reports, Shadow Home Secretary Priti Patel told GB News: “Keir Starmer must protect British sovereignty and show he actually cares about the United Kingdom.

"Allies and adversaries alike can see Starmer’s feebleness and this is what they are looking to exploit.

"Britain needs a leader, not a lawyer, who has failed to ask basic questions about our national security and who is putting Britain’s standing in the world in jeopardy."

The Falkland Islands, which was first landed on by English explorers some 120 years before Argentina existed as an independent state, is a self-governing British overseas territory.

Britain went to war with Argentina over the islands in 1982, where 225 British soldiers lost their lives defending the territory, as well as 650 Argentine soldiers.

The US played a strategic role in the Falklands War, providing diplomatic, intelligence and arms support to the UK, officially abandoning its initial position of neutrality to back its ally against Argentina.

Argentina's President Javier Milei is an ally of President Trump's.

Whereas the special relationship between the UK and the US is going through a rough patch, with Mr Trump verbally attacking Sir Keir Starmer, often over social media, over his unwillingness to send military power to the Middle East.

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The US President said Sir Keir was "no Winston Churchill" and described the UK's naval vessels as "toys".

Another suggestion included suspending "difficult" countries from decision-making position at the 32-state-strong military alliance.

He also has teased potentially leaving Nato.

"Wouldn't you if you were me?", the US President said on April 1, in response to a question on whether he would pull out of the alliance.

However, the email does not suggest the US abandons Nato, to which it was a founding member of the alliance, signing the treaty in 1949.

The memo also does not suggest to close American military bases in Europe.

However, the anonymous official refused to say whether one option was for the US to withdraw some of its military personnel from European countries.

Pentagon Press Secretary Kingsley Wilson said on the rumoured email: "As President Trump has said, despite everything that the United States has done for our NATO allies, they were not there for us.

"The War Department will ensure that the President has credible options to ensure that our allies are no longer a paper tiger and instead do their part. We have no further comment on any internal deliberations to that effect."

Pete Hegseth, US Defence Secretary, said earlier this month that "a lot has been laid bare" by the conflict in the Middle East.

He said: "We get questions, or roadblocks, or hesitations ... You don't have much of an alliance if you have countries that are not willing to stand with you when you need them."

Despite Nato allies taking a hands-off approach to the conflict in the Middle East, Sir Keir alongside French President Emmanuel Macron, agreed on April 17 that the two nations would lead a mission to protect the Strait of Hormuz when the war ends.

Sir Keir said, speaking from the French capital: “I can confirm that along with France, the UK will lead a multinational mission to protect freedom of navigation as soon as conditions allow.

“This will be strictly peaceful and defensive, as a mission to reassure commercial shipping and support mine clearance."

In response to this announcement, President Trump took to social media to express his disdain for Nato: "Now that the Hormuz Strait situation is over, I received a call from NATO asking if we would need some help. I TOLD THEM TO STAY AWAY, UNLESS THEY JUST WANT TO LOAD UP THEIR SHIPS WITH OIL.

He concluded, to say the military alliance was "useless", again referring to it as a "Paper Tiger".

Passage through the world's most critical waterway continues to be restricted as Iran and the US remain at loggerheads over the Strait of Hormuz.