Trump slams Starmer as 'not Winston Churchill' for refusal to back Iran strikes

"By the way, I'm not happy with the U.K. either," the president said, referring to Starmer blocking the United States' use of U.K. bases to launch attacks on Iran.

Starmer initially blocked the U.S. from using British military bases, specifically Diego Garcia, for strikes against Iran during Operation Epic Fury. The U.K. later permitted the use of the bases for "defensive strikes" after Trump's complaints. 

The president referenced the Chagos Islands Tuesday, which are British territories in the Indian Ocean, saying it has taken "three, four days for us to work out where we can land there."

"It would have been much more convenient landing there as opposed to flying many extra hours, so we are very surprised," he said.

Trump added, though, "This is not Winston Churchill that we're dealing with."

Later, the president said the United Kingdom has been "very, very uncooperative with that stupid island." 

"My mother was born there," he said. "My father was born. Right? He knows all about my father. My father was born there. So, you know, very places that you sort of automatically very, very feel warmly about."

The president said again, "This is not the age of Churchill."

Starmer has defended his decision to stay out of the conflict, saying the U.K. was "not involved in the ​initial strikes against Iran, and we will not join offensive action now."