Trump Tells Starmer UK Military Help ‘Too Late’ During Tense G7 Talks on Iran War

Washington, March 2026 : U.S. President Donald Trump told British Prime Minister Keir Starmer that British military assistance was no longer necessary during a virtual meeting of Group of Seven (G7) leaders held on Wednesday, according to officials familiar with the discussions.

The remarks came amid tense exchanges among world leaders over the ongoing conflict with Iran and its wider geopolitical and economic implications.

According to reports, Trump criticised the British government for initially refusing to grant the United States permission to use British military bases to launch strikes against Iran during the early phase of the conflict.

The British government later reversed its position, offering access to its bases for what it described as “defensive operations.” These operations were reportedly intended to target Iranian missile installations following Tehran’s attacks on several Gulf nations.

However, Trump reportedly told Starmer that the offer had come too late to be useful.

“You should have made this offer before the war — it is too late now,” Trump told the British prime minister during the discussion, officials familiar with the conversation said.

Tense Exchange Among G7 Leaders

The disagreement surfaced during a broader discussion among G7 leaders about the ongoing crisis in the Middle East and its potential global consequences.

During the meeting, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz and French President Emmanuel Macron reportedly supported Starmer’s position and raised concerns about the possibility that Russia might attempt to take advantage of the geopolitical instability.

Both leaders warned that Moscow should not be allowed to benefit from the conflict or receive any relief from the international sanctions imposed following its war in Ukraine.

US Grants Temporary Sanctions Waiver

Despite these concerns, the U.S. government later announced a temporary waiver on certain sanctions targeting Russian oil shipments that were already in transit.

The decision was announced by U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who said the one-month waiver was designed to stabilise global energy markets amid rapidly rising oil prices.

Oil prices have surged above $100 per barrel in recent weeks as tensions around the strategically crucial Strait of Hormuz intensified.

U.S. officials clarified that the sanctions waiver would apply only to oil shipments that had already left Russian ports and were unrelated to Iran. They also stressed that the measure was intended solely to avoid market disruptions and would not provide significant economic benefits to the Russian government.

Russian Envoy Meets Trump Advisers

In a parallel development, Kirill Dmitriev, an envoy of Russian President Vladimir Putin, met with Trump advisers Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner in Florida just hours before the G7 meeting.

According to officials, the discussions focused on the global energy situation and the impact of the Middle East conflict on oil supplies and markets.

Trump Rejects UK Carrier Offer

Trump had previously rejected a British proposal to deploy aircraft carriers to the region to support military operations.

Following a phone conversation with Starmer on March 8, the U.S. president declined the offer, arguing that the conflicts in question had already been effectively resolved.

Later, in a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump mocked the delayed British proposal.

“The United Kingdom — once our great ally, perhaps the greatest of them all — is now finally seriously considering sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East,” Trump wrote.

He added that the United States no longer needed such assistance.

“Never mind, Prime Minister Starmer; we have no need for them now — but we will remember this,” Trump said. “We don’t need people who join the fight only after we have already won.”

Global Concerns Continue

The exchange highlights growing tensions among Western allies over the handling of the conflict with Iran and its broader impact on global security and energy markets.

With oil prices rising and diplomatic disagreements emerging within the G7, analysts say the crisis could test the unity of Western powers as they attempt to manage both the military and economic consequences of the conflict.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)