Trump Says Starmer Is “No Winston Churchill” Amid Row Over Chagos and Military Cooperation

President Donald Trump has said that Sir Keir Starmer is “no Winston Churchill” amid a dispute over the use of British military bases and ongoing tensions surrounding the proposed Chagos Islands agreement.

Speaking from the Oval Office during a meeting with Friedrich Merz, Mr Trump criticised what he described as a lack of cooperation from the UK government over military operations linked to the conflict with Iran.

“Some nations have been helpful, some haven’t. Germany has been great, others have been very good … Some, like Spain have been terrible. I told Scott to cut off all dealings with Spain,” Mr Trump said.

He added that he was “not happy with the UK either”, claiming that Sir Keir’s decision to block use of the joint military base on the Chagos Islands had delayed US warplanes.

“That island you read about … somebody came and took it away from him. This is not Winston Churchill we’re dealing with,” Mr Trump said, echoing criticism he reportedly made earlier in comments to The Telegraph.

Mr Trump further described the UK as having been “very, very uncooperative” over what he called the “stupid island”, adding that the situation was “shocking”.

According to reports, Sir Keir relented late on Sunday night, allowing the US to use British bases to carry out strikes. Mr Trump suggested the disagreement risked damaging the special relationship between the two countries, although he added: “I love that country”.

Chagos Deal Not Yet Ratified

The row comes against the backdrop of the proposed agreement concerning the Chagos Islands, including Diego Garcia, a strategically significant joint UK–US military base in the Indian Ocean.

The UK Labour government has set out plans to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius while leasing back Diego Garcia for continued joint military use. However, the agreement has not yet been ratified by Parliament. Legally, sovereignty of Diego Garcia and the other 60 Chagos Islands remains with the United Kingdom unless and until ratification takes place.

Critics of the proposed deal argue that it represents an unnecessary concession of sovereign territory without clear strategic benefit. Supporters maintain that it seeks to resolve long-running legal disputes and strengthen international partnerships.

Campaign groups, including Great British PAC, have urged that the agreement be halted, stating that “the surrender hasn’t been ratified. It can still be stopped.” They argue that Diego Garcia is now “more strategically important than it has been in decades” and that reconsideration would be in Britain’s national interest.

Some commentators have also argued that Mr Trump’s remarks appear to conflate the proposed sovereignty transfer with an already completed action. The agreement remains subject to ratification procedures in the UK. As it stands, the islands are still British territory and no transfer of sovereignty has taken legal effect.

Strategic and Political Implications

The Chagos Islands have long been central to UK–US defence cooperation. The 1966 UK–US agreement established the framework under which Diego Garcia operates as a joint military facility.

Calls have been made by some political activists for Mr Trump to formally communicate opposition to the proposed deal, arguing it conflicts with the spirit of the original 1966 treaty arrangements.

Claire Bullivant, CEO of the Great British PAC said: “President Trump must set out formally and unequivocally that Sir Keir Starmer is riding roughshod over the 1966 Treaty. President Trump retains the authority to halt this deal, but his social media posts are clearly not being taken seriously by this Labour government. The Prime Minister needs to be told, in clear and unambiguous terms, that the President opposes this surrender. The agreement has not been ratified — it can still be stopped. We can still save Chagos. Future generations will depend upon it.”

The dispute comes at a time of heightened security concerns, with British military assets reportedly facing drone threats in the region. Critics of the government have pointed to what they describe as a limited initial response, including the deployment of a single destroyer.

Downing Street has not publicly characterised the situation in the same terms as Mr Trump’s comments. The Prime Minister’s office has emphasised continued cooperation with the United States and reiterated the strength of the transatlantic alliance.

As debate continues, the proposed Chagos agreement remains unratified. Whether it proceeds, is amended, or is halted will ultimately depend on the UK’s domestic constitutional process and the political will of Parliament.