Wrapping up a three-day journey to the UK, United States President Donald Trump projected a united entrance along with his counterpart, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, on a wide range of points and emphasised the alliance between the 2 nations regardless of current tensions.
Trump spoke to reporters alongside Starmer on Thursday, lauding the hospitality he acquired in Britain.
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For his half, Starmer declared the US and the UK “first companions” in commerce, defence and know-how.
In current months, some European nations have been irked by Trump’s trade policies and his shaky dedication to Ukraine in its struggle with Russia.
However the heat welcome Trump acquired within the UK and his joint remarks with Starmer on Thursday mirrored rock-solid ties between Washington and London, which formally left the European Union in 2020.
Listed here are some key takeaways from the Trump-Starmer presser:
Trump says Putin let him down
The US president once more informed reporters that he didn’t anticipate that resolving the battle between Russia and Ukraine could be so troublesome, and voiced disappointment in Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“I assumed it could be best due to my relationship with President Putin, however he’s let me down. He’s actually let me down,” Trump mentioned.
For his half, Starmer underscored that the UK is main a so-called coalition of the keen to assist Ukraine fend off the Russian invasion.
“We’ve mentioned right now how we are able to construct our defences, additional assist Ukraine, and decisively improve the strain on Putin to get him to comply with a peace deal that can final,” the UK prime minister.
‘One of many worst days within the historical past of humanity’
As Israel pushes forward with its marketing campaign of famine, mass killings, displacement and destruction in Gaza, Trump repeatedly invoked Hamas’s October 7 assault when addressing the disaster.
Even when requested particularly about Israel’s systemic levelling of what stays of Gaza Metropolis, Trump went again to October 7.
“You do perceive about October 7 – one of many worst days within the historical past of humanity,” he mentioned.
Hamas and different Palestinian teams killed 1,200 Israelis and took greater than 200 captive in the course of the assault almost two years in the past.
Since then, Israel has killed greater than 65,140 Palestinians in a marketing campaign that United Nations investigators, teachers and main rights teams have described as a genocide.
Trump mentioned one in every of his “few disagreements” with Starmer is over the UK’s pledge to recognise a Palestinian state.
However the UK prime minister earned a literal pat on the again from the US as he condemned Hamas.
Neither chief denounced Israeli insurance policies in opposition to Palestinians.
Trump, who has been saying for months that an finish to the struggle in Gaza could possibly be shut, reiterated that assertion.
“We’re working very laborious on Israel and Gaza,” he mentioned. “All that’s taking place over there [is] complicated, however it’s going to get finished. It’ll all get finished proper.”
US president praises NATO
Lengthy seen as a sceptic of the NATO army alliance, Trump lauded the bloc and its chief, Mark Rutte, for stepping up army spending.
“I wish to thank NATO and our great head of NATO, who’s actually labored very laborious – Mark – for the job they’ve finished,” Trump mentioned.
He voiced appreciation for the bloc’s pledge to increase army spending by its members to 5 p.c of their respective gross home product (GDP).
“We’re sending lots of weapons to NATO,” Trump mentioned. “NATO is paying for these weapons in full, however we’re sending them, and we’re doing an incredible job at getting them what they want, and we admire the truth that they’re taken care of.”
NATO has a mutual defence treaty, which means an assault on any member is taken into account an assault on all.
Return to Bagram
The US president once more criticised the chaotic pullout from Afghanistan in 2021 beneath his predecessor, former US President Joe Biden.
However whereas repeating his criticism of the withdrawal this time, he hinted at a doable take care of the Taliban for the US army to return to the Bagram airbase in Afghanistan.
“We’re making an attempt to get it again, by the best way,” Trump mentioned of the bottom.
“OK, that could possibly be just a little breaking information. We’re making an attempt to get it again as a result of they want issues from us. We would like that base again. However one of many causes we would like the bottom is – as – it’s an hour away from the place China makes its nuclear weapons.”
The US has not recognised the Taliban authorities that got here into energy after the US army withdrawal from the nation.
Because the Taliban takeover, Washington has additionally imposed heavy sanctions in opposition to Kabul.
‘Jimmy Kimmel will not be a gifted particular person’
Trump addressed the sacking of American TV host Jimmy Kimmel by ABC, which got here after ideas by the pinnacle of the federal broadcasting regulator that authorities could take motion in opposition to the community over feedback by the comic.
Kimmel had accused conservatives of utilizing the killing of right-wing influencer Charlie Kirk “to attain political factors” and prompt that the killer is a Trump supporter.
However Utah Governor Spencer Cox mentioned that the suspected shooter, who has been charged with aggravated homicide, has “leftist ideology”.
The termination of Kimmel – a part of a broader push by Republican officers to fire people over Kirk-related feedback – has raised considerations over curbing free speech within the US.
However Trump claimed that Kimmel was sacked resulting from low viewership.
“Jimmy Kimmel was fired as a result of he had dangerous rankings greater than anything, and he mentioned a horrible factor about an incredible gentleman often known as Charlie Kirk. And Jimmy Kimmel will not be a gifted particular person,” the US president mentioned.
“They need to have fired him a very long time in the past. So, , you possibly can name that free speech or not. He was fired for lack of expertise.”
