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Tuesday March 17 2026

By Eleanor Langford

Political Reporter at The i Paper and author of Politics Unwrapped

Good evening and welcome to Tuesday’s Politics Unwrapped.

When Donald Trump first met Sir Keir Starmer, it seemed like the pair hit it off.

Their early meetings were full of warm words and smiles, but as time has passed, the relationship has soured.

Now, the US President is saying he is “not happy” with the Prime Minister over his response to US-Israeli strikes on Iran.

Starmer has refused his calls for the UK to send in its navy to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz – a waterway key to the global supply of oil.

But Trump’s rebukes could have further implications for the UK beyond the current conflict.

Let’s unpack how Trump and Starmer’s relationship has played out – and why it matters.

But first, here are our other key political stories from today:

• Household energy bills could hit £2,500 in July – here’s who will have them cut
• Born between 1965 and 1980? Your pension is probably ‘inadequate’ – how to fix it
• UK in talks over boosting Navy in the Gulf to defend shipping
• Reeves to gamble on closer EU ties to save economy – but Europe plays hardball

At the end of February, the US and Israel took part in joint strikes on Iran. 

In response to the conflict, Iran has effectively closed off the Strait of Hormuz – the narrow waterway between Iran and the Gulf states which carries roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and gas supplies.

Iran initially threatened to fire on any ship trying to pass through it, though it has now clarified that the Strait is open to all except the US and its allies. Vessels from India, Pakistan and Türkiye have all been allowed passage in recent days.

In a recent interview with the Financial Times, Trump rebuked many allies of the US for not sending in military support to secure passage through the Strait of Hormuz.

“It’s only appropriate that people who are the beneficiaries of the Strait will help to make sure that nothing bad happens there,” he said.

But Starmer, alongside many other European countries, has denied his request. His position, stated publicly on Monday, is that reopening the strait is “not a simple task” and that the UK is working with allies on a “viable, collective plan” to restore access to the waterway.

Within hours of that statement, Trump told reporters he was “not happy” with the UK, adding it “should be involved enthusiastically” in efforts to reopen the Strait.

He later told a press conference there were “some countries that greatly disappointed me” before he singled out the UK, which he said had been considered “the Rolls-Royce of allies”.

Opinion: The UK is closer to food riots than you may think →

Retired civil servants given loans worth £2m after being hit by pension delays →

Opinion: Rachel Reeves made a huge error – it was obvious to everyone but her →

September 2024

The pair first met for a two-hour dinner at Trump Tower in New York while Trump was still a presidential candidate. At the time, Trump described Starmer as “very nice” and someone who had run a “great race” in the UK.

November 2024

Following Trump’s election victory, the two had a phone call that Downing Street described as “incredibly strong”. They reportedly “fondly recalled” their New York meeting.

January 2025

Shortly after his inauguration, Trump told the BBC on board Air Force One that Starmer had done a “very good job thus far” and described him as a “very good person”.

February 2025

During an early 2025 visit, Trump praised their discussions as “terrific” and called Starmer a “very, very special person”. He joked during a joint news conference that if he had Starmer’s “beautiful” accent, he would have been president 20 years earlier.

Sir Keir Starmer meeting Donald Trump in the Oval Office in February last year (Photo: Carl Court/Getty)

September 2025

Trump and Starmer met at Chequers during the US President’s second state visit to the UK. At a press conference, Trump said that the “ties between our countries are priceless” and that they were “making those ties closer than ever before”.

January 2026

Trump attacked Starmer’s Chagos Islands deal on his social media platform Truth Social, calling it an “act of great stupidity” and a “national security” risk.

February 2026

Trump briefly reversed his stance, calling Starmer’s agreement the “best he could make” after a direct phone call between the two.

March 2026

Following Starmer’s initial refusal to allow US bombers to use British bases for strikes on Iran, Trump told reporters he was “very disappointed” and that Starmer “has not been helpful”. He later said the UK-US relationship is “obviously not what it was”.

Lord Peter Ricketts, a former national security adviser, told The i Paper that the UK-US relationship had “never been this difficult”. He said: “This public mocking of the Prime Minister is new and is clearly not good.”

But Ricketts also urged caution about reading too much into Trump’s remarks. “Trump is shooting from the hip without talking to any of his professionals about it,” he said. 

He added that Trump was “perfectly capable, after a good phone call with Starmer, to say something much more positive” – pointing to how Trump had changed his tone on the Chagos deal as evidence.

We need to get closer to Europe, writes Ian Dunt. Read here.

Energy prices: The US-Israeli strikes have led to Iran retaliating by restricting access through the Strait of Hormuz. The longer that disruption lasts, the higher energy prices could climb. Oil prices have surged since Iran shut the Strait, and the UK is not insulated from that. Higher oil prices feed into petrol costs, manufacturing and – crucially – heating.

Tariffs: Starmer secured the UK-US Economic Prosperity Deal in May 2025, when he had a warmer relationship with Trump. This lowered US tariffs on products like steel and cars, and has insulated the UK from some of the recent increases in global tariffs on goods entering the US. 

Security: Trump has been frequently critical of the Nato alliance, and told the Financial Times on Sunday that “it will be very bad for the future of Nato” if member countries, which include the UK, do not help secure the Strait of Hormuz. 

Does the UK need the Special Relationship?

In the last edition, I asked whether the energy bill support announced by Keir Starmer goes far enough. 37 per cent said yes, 46 per cent said no and 17 per cent weren’t sure.

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Author: South London