US President Donald Trump expressed 'severe disappointment' in UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer for initially refusing to allow the use of the US-UK base on Diego Garcia to target Iran. Starmer late on Sunday permitted US forces to operate from UK bases against Iran, but in a limited capacity, targeting only missile sites. This announcement came just hours before a drone strike on the Akrotiri air base in Cyprus. Trump stated that Starmer 'took too long' to change his mind. The US President also highlighted the disputed status of Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands, which is a subject of diplomatic disagreement between the UK, US, and Mauritius. Trump criticized the refusal to allow the base's use for initial strikes against the Iranian military and leadership, calling it perhaps an unprecedented event between the two nations.
