US President Donald Trump declined to say whether Washington would come to Britain's aid if Argentina sought to retake the Falkland Islands, while criticizing the UK for not providing greater support for US military operations involving Iran.
Asked in an interview by British broadcaster GB News whether the US would support the UK in the event of another conflict over the islands, Trump recalled Britain's 1982 war with Argentina but did not answer the question directly.
"I was there when they had the first war. That was a long time ago, and I watched it so carefully," Trump said. "You comported yourselves very well. You took it back pretty strongly, but it's a long way away."
Trump then shifted to Britain's role in the US-led military campaign against Iran, saying London had not done enough to assist Washington.
"Your country was not there to help me," he said, adding that he had asked NATO members and former British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to contribute ships.
"We didn't need help, but I did ask NATO and I asked your former leader, 'Why don't you send a couple of ships?'" Trump said.
Returning to the Falklands, Trump questioned whether Britain retained the military capacity to defend the South Atlantic territory as it did in 1982.
"Your country is not the same country it was 20 years ago, 25 years ago," he said. "I just don't know if you have the capacity to do it. It's a big difference."
The remarks came as Argentine President Javier Milei, a Trump ally, is expected to make a national address on the Falkland Islands, which Argentina calls the Malvinas and claims sovereignty over.
Argentina claims sovereignty over the Falkland Islands, which it calls the Malvinas Islands, citing succession from the Spanish Crown and historical decrees, while Britain has maintained control and administration of the archipelago since 1833.
In the early 1980s, Argentina and Britain fought what became known as the Falklands War over the disputed archipelago.
The Falkland Islands consist of two main islands, East Falkland and West Falkland, along with more than 700 smaller islands. The archipelago covers about 12,200 square kilometers and lies roughly 480 kilometers (298 miles) off Argentina's southern coast, with an estimated coastline of about 1,300 kilometers (808 miles).
