President Donald Trump could punish Sir Keir Starmer for his inaction over Iran by backing Argentina’s claim to the Falkland Islands.
An email circulating within the Pentagon outlines potential US responses to what it sees as inadequate support from NATO allies in the Iran conflict, including suspending Spain from the alliance and reassessing its stance on the Falkland Islands.
The memo expresses 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 includes reassessing the US’s support for longstanding “imperial possessions” of Europe, such as the Falkland Islands.
The US’s current position is that the islands are administered by the UK, but Argentina still claims the archipelago.
The Falkland Islands, which was first landed on by English explorers some 120 years before Argentina existed as an independent state, is a self-governing British overseas territory.
Argentina’s President, Javier Milei is an ally of Mr Trump
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Britain went to war with Argentina over the islands in 1982, where 225 British soldiers lost their lives defending the territory, as well as 650 Argentine soldiers.
The US played a strategic role in the Falklands War, providing diplomatic, intelligence and arms support to the UK, officially abandoning its initial position of neutrality to back its ally against Argentina.
Argentina’s President Javier Milei is an ally of President Trump’s.
Whereas the special relationship between the UK and the US is going through a rough patch, with Mr Trump verbally attacking Sir Keir Starmer, often over social media, over his unwillingness to send military power to the Middle East.
President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticised Sir Keir over his reluctance to send military power to the Middle East
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The US President said Sir Keir was “no Winston Churchill” and described the UK’s naval vessels as “toys”.
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