Donald Trump has landed yet another scathing blow to Sir Keir Starmer after condemning his slow response to the ongoing crisis in Iran.
Last night, the President revealed on Truth Social the UK was "giving serious thought" to sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East – but this was too little, too late for Mr Trump, who said the US "don't need people" who join wars "after we've already won".
Speaking to reporters on Air Force One hours later, the President doubled down on his remarks.
"We don't need them," he said, appearing to be in reference to the carriers.
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He added: "It's not the right time. It would have been nice to have them two weeks ago."
One of the UK's two aircraft carriers, HMS Prince of Wales, has been put on advanced readiness to sail from Portsmouth within five days, defence sources have said.
US bomber jets were also seen landing in the UK on Saturday, as the US began using British bases for "specific defensive operations".
But Sir Keir has been scrutinised for his hesitation to act in protecting RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus after it was the subject of a drone attack.
Donald Trump has landed yet another scathing blow to Keir Starmer after condemning the UK's slow response to the ongoing crisis
|REUTERS
And, merely hours later on Saturday, Mr Trump posted online: "The United Kingdom, our once Great Ally, maybe the Greatest of them all, is finally giving serious thought to sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East.
"That's OK, Prime Minister Starmer, we don't need them any longer - But we will remember."
Mr Trump's furious comments was the latest in an ongoing war of words between the two leaders.
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Sir Keir Starmer has been scrutinised for his hesitation to act in protecting RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus
|REUTERS
Earlier in the week, Mr Trump said he had been left "surprised" by the UK's reluctance to support its allies, brutally mocking the PM, saying: "This is not Winston Churchill that we're dealing with..."
However, the criticism has not stopped with the President. Former Labour Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair condemned Sir Keir's response over the weekend.
Sir Tony told an audience at a Jewish News event on Friday: "I'm not saying anything to you that I wouldn’t and haven’t said to the Government. I think we should have backed America from the very beginning
"They were asking us to use our bases for refuelling. It’s not like Vietnam. It’s not like, as we did in Iraq, sending in thousands of British troops...
The HMS Prince of Wales has been put on advanced readiness to sail from Portsmouth within five days, defence sources have said
| GETTY"So I think you’ve got to make the argument to the public that this American relationship matters. It matters particularly today."
Meanwhile, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch told GB News on Saturday Labour has been "so bad for our reputation" on the international stage.
"We have allies like Greece, France sending ships to the Mediterranean. HMS Dragon is still in Portsmouth. That is Labour in action. Just sitting there. Keir Starmer on Wednesday at PMQs. What did he say? That he was doing everything he could.
"Why do we still have a warship in Portsmouth? Countries like Bahrain and Cyprus, where we have put British bases on their soil, are wondering where we are."
Writing in the Sunday Mirror, Sir Keir said: "At moments like this, the country needs seriousness, not political games".
"While opposition parties seek to undermine Britain on the world stage, my Labour government is focused on protecting British people at home and abroad."
The PM's public squabble with Mr Trump began after he initially refused to allow the US to use UK bases for their shared offensive with Israel in Iran.
"Defensive" US actions were later approved by Sir Keir, from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands, although he insisted his Government "does not believe in regime change from the "skies".
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