UK PM Keir Starmer unleashes rare rebuke on Donald Trump over Chagos Islands deal, North Sea oil drilling and Greenland. In a shocking public scolding, the British Prime Minister accused Trump of deploying "words that were different to his previous words of welcome and support" in reference to the UK's agreement with Mauritius to hand over sovereignty of the Chagos Islands.
Starmer told the House of Commons that President Trump had deployed those words for "the express purpose of putting pressure on me and Britain." The Prime Minister stated, "He wants me to yield on my position, and I'm not going to do so...I will not yield. Britain will not yield on our principles and values about the future of Greenland and the threats of tariffs."
The unusual rebuke came after a meeting between UK Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch and Mike Johnson, the Republican speaker of the House of Representatives. The two discussed the Chagos deal and North Sea oil drilling before Johnson spoke with Trump.
Trump had recently criticized the Chagos deal on his Truth Social platform, calling it an "act of GREAT STUPIDITY" and stating that Greenland needs to be acquired for national security reasons. Starmer's criticism has been characterized as a significant moment in the dynamic between the UK and US governments, potentially altering their relationship.
Labour government officials had agreed to hand over sovereignty of Chagos to Mauritius in October 2024 under pressure from Washington. The deal was reached at a cost projected to be £3.4 billion. British officials said that Trump's administration had expressed concerns about what would happen to the Diego Garcia military base if Mauritius won a case at the International Court of Justice.
The situation remains unchanged with Starmer pressing ahead with the Chagos deal, while Trump is threatening Greenland but promising not to use force to take control of the territory.
Starmer told the House of Commons that President Trump had deployed those words for "the express purpose of putting pressure on me and Britain." The Prime Minister stated, "He wants me to yield on my position, and I'm not going to do so...I will not yield. Britain will not yield on our principles and values about the future of Greenland and the threats of tariffs."
The unusual rebuke came after a meeting between UK Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch and Mike Johnson, the Republican speaker of the House of Representatives. The two discussed the Chagos deal and North Sea oil drilling before Johnson spoke with Trump.
Trump had recently criticized the Chagos deal on his Truth Social platform, calling it an "act of GREAT STUPIDITY" and stating that Greenland needs to be acquired for national security reasons. Starmer's criticism has been characterized as a significant moment in the dynamic between the UK and US governments, potentially altering their relationship.
Labour government officials had agreed to hand over sovereignty of Chagos to Mauritius in October 2024 under pressure from Washington. The deal was reached at a cost projected to be £3.4 billion. British officials said that Trump's administration had expressed concerns about what would happen to the Diego Garcia military base if Mauritius won a case at the International Court of Justice.
The situation remains unchanged with Starmer pressing ahead with the Chagos deal, while Trump is threatening Greenland but promising not to use force to take control of the territory.
. I mean, who expected the PM to go toe-to-toe with a US President over Chagos Islands? But what really got me was when Trump said Greenland needs to be acquired for national security reasons... umm, hasn't that been the argument for years already? It just seems like another example of "do as I say, not as I do" 
. Starmer's right to stand firm on Britain's principles and values, though - we can't let others dictate our decisions just 'cause they're powerful 
. Still, this is a big deal for the UK-US relationship... fingers crossed it'll lead to some actual progress 
but seriously, it's about time someone stood up to trump like this. his words are all over the place, one minute he's welcoming countries, next he's trying to strongarm them into doing his bidding. starmer is right to push back on this, the uk has its own interests and shouldn't be intimidated by a guy who's been tweeting weirdos for years 
what's going on with trump's admin is super suspicious too, they're basically using the court system as a threat to get what they want. it's not cool, dude 
. I mean, who doesn't love a good public scolding? 
It's like he's saying, "Sorry not sorry, Mr. Trump" 
. I'm kinda impressed that the UK PM is standing firm on their principles and values over this Chagos Islands deal and Greenland situation. 
It's like they're saying, "No way, we won't be bullied or pressured into doing something that doesn't align with our interests". 
! I mean, who does Trump think he is, trying to strong-arm Starmer into backing down on a deal that's already been agreed upon? Like, no way Jose, not on my watch 
. It's all about structure and consistency, you know? Trump wants to flip the script on Starmer, but he can't because the PM has got a solid plan in place 
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the way Starmer said "I will not yield" and "Britain will not yield" is so powerful 
it's all about setting boundaries and standing up for what you believe in 
like, we're seeing a change in how they communicate and negotiate with each other 
I'm totally here for that 
. And what's going on with the Chagos deal and Greenland is already super complicated... like, why do we need a public scolding from Starmer? Can't they just negotiate in private or something? 
anyway, its kinda interesting how trump is trying to flex his muscles over greenland... 
. It's been pretty obvious that Trump's been playing hardball with the UK on these issues. I mean, come on, an "act of GREAT STUPIDITY" for the Chagos deal? That's just trolling at this point 
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. I mean, we've been watching Trump's antics with Chagos and Greenland for ages, and it's about time someone called him out for being a bit of a bully 
It feels kinda confrontational, even though Starmer's trying to stand firm on their principles... I guess that's what happens when you're dealing with someone who likes to tweet about politics and make bold statements. 
Does anyone think this is going to affect the UK-US relationship in any major ways?