Trump rejects UK's reported offer to send aircraft carriers to Middle East: 'We will remember'

President Trump on Saturday rejected the United Kingdom’s reported offer to send two aircraft carriers to the Middle East amid the U.S. conflict with Iran, warning that the U.S. “will remember” — seemingly alluding to the U.K.’s hesitance to get involved in the war. “The United Kingdom, our once Great Ally, maybe the Greatest of them all, is finally giving serious thought to sending two aircraft carriers to the Middle East,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “That’s OK, Prime Minister [Keir] Starmer, we don’t need them any longer — But we will remember,” he added. “We don’t need people that join Wars after we’ve already won!” Trump’s statement comes after the U.K. Ministry of Defense said it was preparing an aircraft carrier before a possible deployment, The Guardian reported earlier Saturday. The navy’s flagship, HMS Prince of Wales, was being readied for mobilization, though a ministry spokesperson told the outlet that there was no decision to deploy the aircraft carrier. If deployed, it would join HMS Dragon, which is already en route to the Middle East. The spokesperson told The Guardian that RAF Typhoon and F-35 jets were flying over Jordan, Qatar and Cyprus to “defend British interests.” Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said on Friday there was a “legal basis” for the Royal Air Force to participate in strikes on Iranian missile sites. The U.K. would be justified if protecting British interests in the region, he said, adding the U.K. could strike missile sites “that are anticipating attacking our people in the region.” Lammy’s comments caused a stir in the U.K., with British lawmakers demanding clarification from Starmer’s government. Starmer announced the day before that he was sending four more Typhoon jets to aid defense efforts in Qatar and Wildcat helicopters with anti-drone capabilities that arrived in Cyprus on Friday. This was after a drone strike hit a British air base, leaving minor damage and no casualties. Days earlier, Starmer initially said his government “does not believe in regime change from the skies.” Trump on Wednesday slammed the U.K. and Spain over their stances over the conflict. Spain refused to allow the U.S. to use their bases for its operation in Iran. Trump criticized the U.K.’s deal to give the Chagos Islands, home of the joint U.S.-U.K. military base on Diego Garcia, back to Mauritius. Trump previously argued that using the Diego Garcia military base would be necessary “to eradicate a potential attack by a highly unstable and dangerous Regime,” he wrote on Truth Social on Feb. 18. He referred to this on Wednesday when criticizing the U.K., saying Starmer “is not Winston Churchill.” The U.K. blocked the U.S. from using its bases last month, before the U.S. and Israel launched airstrikes on Iran on Feb. 28. Starmer made the decision over concerns that it would violate international law.