Citing a BBC interview, The Times and other British media reported on the 24th that Trump said of allied support during the war, “I didn’t need them at all. But they should have been there.” He added, “I didn’t need anybody. I wanted to see if they would get involved,” describing the request as “a test.”
Trump also claimed the United States “completely destroyed” Iran’s military capability, repeating, “I didn’t need anybody.” The remarks were widely read as a message that the issue was political solidarity in a crisis, not battlefield necessity.
The comments came ahead of a U.S. visit by Britain’s King Charles III. Asked by the BBC whether the visit by Charles and Queen Camilla could help repair U.S.-UK ties, Trump replied, “Absolutely,” and called the king “a fantastic and brave man.”
Trump also kept up pressure on British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. The Times reported that Trump criticized Starmer’s response to the Iran war and cited expanded North Sea oil and gas development and tougher immigration policy as conditions for improving relations.
Starmer pushed back, saying, “I’m the prime minister of the United Kingdom, and I make decisions based on the national interest of the United Kingdom.” He added, “That’s why we made the decision that we would not be dragged into the Iran war.” On the Strait of Hormuz, he said Britain had decided it would not be pulled in and that it was “in the best national interest” of the country.
Trump, speaking to reporters at the White House the same day, denied any possibility of using nuclear weapons in the Iran war. “Why would you use nuclear weapons?” he said, adding, “No one should use nuclear weapons.” On the timing of a long-term peace agreement, he said, “Don’t rush,” adding that a deal could be reached now but that he wanted a permanent agreement.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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