Donald Trump says UK ‘should have acted a lot faster’ in letting US use bases

Donald Trump has said the UK “should have acted a lot faster” in allowing America to use British bases to strike Iranian missile sites targeting the Strait of Hormuz.

Ministers agreed on Friday afternoon that UK bases could be used for US “defensive operations to degrade the missile sites and capabilities being used to attack ships”.

Up until this point, the Government has allowed the US to use British bases – including the one on Diego Garcia – only to hit missile sites targeting British interests in the region.

Speaking to reporters outside the White House, US President Donald Trump said: “It’s been a very late response from the UK.

“I’m surprised because the relationship is so good, but this has never happened before.

“They were really, pretty much our first ally, all over the world.”

Referring to Diego Garcia, he said: “They didn’t want us to use the island, the so called island, which for some reason they gave up rights to it.

“I was a little surprised in the UK, to be honest.

“They should have acted a lot faster.”

Reacting to the Government’s move, Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi said it was “putting British lives in danger”.

Posting on X, he said: “Vast majority of the British People do not want any part in the Israel-US war of choice on Iran.

“Ignoring his own People, Mr Starmer is putting British lives in danger by allowing UK bases to be used for aggression against Iran. Iran will exercise its right to self-defence.”

Mr Trump has already piled pressure on Nato allies, calling them “cowards” for refusing to offer warships to reopen the Strait.

The president, who has repeatedly berated countries including the UK for failing to respond to his request for support, claimed reopening the key oil and gas shipping route would be a “simple” military task with “little risk”.

Ministers met to discuss the latest developments on Friday, where they reached the agreement, Downing Street said.

The move will likely anger Tehran, which has already claimed the UK providing its military bases to the US to use is “participation in aggression”.

A Downing Street spokesperson said: “Ministers condemned Iran’s expansion of its targets to include international shipping.

“They agreed that Iran’s reckless strikes, including on Red Ensign vessels and those of our close allies and Gulf partners, risked pushing the region further into crisis and worsening the economic impact being felt in the UK and around the world.

“They confirmed that the agreement for the US to use UK bases in the collective self-defence of the region includes US defensive operations to degrade the missile sites and capabilities being used to attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

“They reaffirmed that the principles behind the UK’s approach to the conflict remain the same: the UK remains committed to defending our people, our interests and our allies, acting in accordance with international law and not getting drawn into the wider conflict.

“Ministers underlined the need for urgent de-escalation and a swift resolution to the war.”

Defence sources have stressed the situation was so dangerous that not many nations would be willing to put warships “in the middle of that threat right now”.

It is not clear why Mr Trump believes such military action would involve little risk.

Posting on his Truth Social platform on Friday evening, he said the Strait of Hormuz “will have to be guarded and policed” by “other Nations who use it”.

“If asked, we will help these countries in their Hormuz efforts, but it shouldn’t be necessary once Iran’s threat is eradicated,” he said, adding: “Importantly, it will be an easy Military Operation for them.”

The Iranian foreign minister earlier spoke to Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, who told him that UK operations in the region were in response to Iran’s own strikes on Gulf countries.

She also condemned the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and warned Tehran against targeting UK bases, territory or interests.

Sir Keir Starmer had previously granted the US permission only for “defensive” action against Iranian missile sites from RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean.

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch described the move as the “mother of all U-turns” in a post on X.

Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge said: “Where we have been clear from the outset that we would have allowed our closest military ally to use our bases, Starmer has been all over the place.

“When we need strong leadership in challenging times, Starmer is weak and indecisive.”

The Liberal Democrats as well as the Green Party have said granting further permission for the US to use British bases must first have a parliamentary vote.

Lib Dem foreign affairs spokesman Calum Miller said: “We have warned from the start that the UK has to avoid being dragged into another war in the Middle East with no obvious end.

“This decision by the Prime Minister reminds us all of the disaster of Iraq and shows how we’re being drawn further and further down Trump’s slippery slope.

“Starmer must now let Parliament vote on the terms of the agreement with the US for their use of UK bases.”