Falkland Islanders tell 'bully' Donald Trump to back off

Alice Tomlinson
Sat, 25 Apr 2026 06:53:17 +0000

Falkland Islanders have told President Donald Trump to back off and reaffirmed British sovereignty over the archipelago.

Yesterday, a leaked memo from the Pentagon suggested the US should re-evaluate its position on the Falkland Islands to punish Britain for its lack of involvement in Iran.

Since then, the Prime Minister, veterans, and Falkland Islanders have weighed in on the infamous email, sharply condemning the suggestion.

The Falkland Islands Government said in a statement that 99.8 per cent of islanders voted in favour of remaining as a British Overseas Territory, reports the Telegraph.

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It said: "The Falkland Islands has complete confidence in the commitment made by the UK Government to uphold and defend our right of self-determination."

Sir Keir Starmer also declared on Friday, in response to the memo, that the Falkland Islands belong to Britain.

Downing Street insisted the UK's "long-standing" stance on the British territory remains "unchanged".

The Prime Minister's spokesman said: "We could not be clearer about the UK’s position on the Falkland Islands. It’s long-standing. It’s unchanged."

"Sovereignty rests with the UK, and the Islands’ right to self-determination is paramount.

"That’s been our consistent position and will remain the case.

"The PM has been clear repeatedly that he won’t be pressured.

"He will always take a strong position on the UK’s national interests, and the Falklands is no different to that."

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Falklands war veterans have also weighed in, expressing their disdain for the suggestion.

Simon Weston, who fought in the 1982 war, spoke on GB News about the situation, describing it as "deeply saddening" and questioned why the US President was interfering in matters of island sovereignty".

The veteran said: "It's none of his business what the sovereignty of the islands is."

He further shared his gratitude towards the Prime Minister for speaking out against the issue.

He added: "Mr Starmer has reiterated that, and we and the Islanders can only thank him for that."

The memo expressed 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.

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

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

The memo also suggested removing some states from senior decision-making roles within Nato, such as Spain.

Also reacting to the reports, Shadow Home Secretary Priti Patel told GB News on Friday: "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."