THE Falkland Islands have rebuked Donald Trump and confirmed their support for the UK – following Washington’s threat to punish Britain over Iran.
The Pentagon is said to be drawing up plans to support Argentina‘s long-held claims over the islands in a bid to hit back at Sir Keir Starmer for his inaction.
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Trump has been rebuked by the Falkland Islands Credit: Getty
255 British military personnel and three Falkland islanders were killed during the war Credit: Getty – Contributor
The Falkland Islands emphasised on Friday that 99.8 per cent of voters had cast their ballot in favour of remaining a British Overseas Territory.
They said: “The Falkland Islands has complete confidence in the commitment made by the UK Government to uphold and defend our right of self-determination.”
The prime minister as well as many islanders have blasted Washington‘s review of its official position.
War veterans have also accused the US president of “bullying” amid the latest reports.
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Sir Keir slammed the Trump administration shortly after leaked emails suggested that the US stance was under review.
Downing Street said the PM “could not be clearer” in stating that the islands were a sovereign British Overseas Territory and that the voters had self-determination.
Veteran Simon Weston, who was severely burned during the Falklands War, said: “The islanders do not deserve to be anybody’s political football.”
Fellow war hero Peter Robinson said: “Trump … is a bully that is using the weight of America behind him to reach his own personal goals and set his stamp in history.”
It comes after a bombshell Pentagon email laid out options which could be used to “punish” Nato allies after Trump blasted the alliance for not being there for the US when they needed them in Iran.
Lord Admiral West, who commanded HMS Ardent during the Falklands War, told The Jattvibe: “Mention of the Falkland Islands by the US is an insult to their autonomous, self-reliant and free people.”
After the UK refused to let the US use its British bases to blitz Iran at the start of the war, the Falklands came under scrutiny by Washington.
The reported note outlines considerations for reviewing support for longstanding European “imperial possessions”.
These included the important Falkland Islands, a British territory located south of Argentina.
Britain fought a bitter war to defend the Falkland Islands in 1982, when Argentina invaded and occupied the territory.
An estimated 255 British military personnel and three Falkland islanders were killed in the gruelling ten-week conflict.
Islanders taking part in the ‘Proud to be British’ parade along Ross Road in Port Stanley, Falkland Islands, 2013 Credit: AFP
Falkland Veteran Simon Weston said the plan will ‘enrage the islanders because they don’t deserve this’ Credit: Rex Features
Madcap Argentine president Javier Milei – who enjoys a warm relationship with Trump – brazenly cheered his government’s efforts to snatch the Falklands from their British inhabitants on Friday.
He said: “We are doing everything humanly possible to bring the Falkland Islands back into Argentine hands.”
Argentina’s foreign minister said late on Friday that Buenos Aires “reaffirms its sovereign rights over the Malvinas Islands, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands”.
Trump has repeatedly slammed Nato as a “paper tiger” in recent weeks, and even hinted at leaving the alliance altogether.
Policy options to punish the alliance were laid out in a note that expresses frustration about allies who refused to give the US access, basing and overflight rights (ABO) for the Iran war.
The Falkland Islands are a British Overseas Territory Credit: Getty
Sir Keir has defended the Falkland Islands Credit: PA
The note, described to Reuters by an anonymous US official, raged that these rights are “just the absolute baseline for Nato”.
One option listed in the email was kicking Spain – Trump’s most prominent opponent – from the alliance altogether.
Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, said the UK needed to “back the Falklands”.
“This is absolute nonsense, the Falkland Islands are British,” she said.
“They have been for a very long time. The sovereignty is British sovereignty.
“This is one of the things that worries me about the changing world: I’m not like Keir Starmer, giving away the Chagos Islands and surrendering British territory.
“We need to make sure that we back the Falkland Islands. I don’t know what Donald Trump is talking about.”
Trump was looking to punish Britain for inaction in Iran Credit: Getty
