Trump said a Falklands war would be “potential disaster.”
Donald Trump said he could “settle” any conflict over the Falkland Islands. (Image: Getty)
Donald Trump said he could “settle” any conflict over the Falkland Islands, describing a war between the UK and Argentina as a “potential disaster.” The US president previously hinted that he might not back the UK’s sovereignty over the Falklands if Argentina launched an attack. Speaking to the press while sitting with Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin during his two-day visit to Ireland, Trump mocked the UK saying it would not “be willing to travel that far” if Argentina invaded the Falklands like it did in 1982.
Trump said: “Well, the Falkland Islands is very interesting because here we go again. I remember as a young boy, a pretty young boy anyway, but the Falkland Islands, and I think it was a different country at that time, the UK a little bit, but they went in and they took it over.
“I’m not sure they’re doing that. They have a little problem with immigration. They have a little problem with energy and then have some other problems they have to take care of. So, I don’t know. You know, I don’t know if they’re going to be willing to travel that far.
“That is very far away. You’re talking about weeks by boat. I don’t know. I’m sure I’ll be called into that potential disaster, but if they do, I’ll probably be able to settle, settle it out. But right now, you have two countries that are not happy concerning the Falklands.”
The US president’s comments come amid renewed tension over the islands. Last week, Javier Milei, Argentina’s president stepped up the country’s claim to the South Atlantic archipelago.
He warned he’ll impose economic sanctions on companies which exploit oil close to the British overseas territory. He also described the UK as a nation “in decline.”
Mr Milei said: “I want to be quite clear with everybody. The Falklands are Argentinian. Historically and legally.
“There can be no argument. They are part of the Argentine territory.
“The islanders on their usurped territory do not have a legitimate right to self-determination and any argument on any such self-determination is invalid.”
Trump previously said the US could revise its position on the islands’ sovereignty if the UK failed to increase defence spending. Last month, the US President said he was “reviewing” the country’s position on the Falklands.
Last week, he suggested in an interview with GB News that he might not help the UK if Argentina tried again to seize the Falkland Islands. In an interview with the publication, he said that Britain had “not been there to help me” with his country’s war with Iran, though he later said his military did not need any support. Mr Trump added: “Your country was not there to help me. We didn’t need help, but I did ask NATO, and I asked your former leader, ‘why didn’t you send a couple of ships?’ He said we don’t have any, and it was pretty sad, the whole thing.” Now, however, it appears the US President is making a dramatic U-turn.
But in an apparent U-turn, Nile Gardiner, a former aide to Margaret Thatcher, told GB News on Friday that Mr Trump “will not be changing position on the Falklands, and he’ll be back eventually backing us up.”
“That’s what I’ve heard from officials that I’ve spoken to, and I regularly speak with US administration officials.”