US President Donald Trump has said he expects to be called upon to “settle” any potential conflict in the ongoing row between the UK and Argentina on the sovereignty of the Falkland Islands.
Speaking to reporters during a visit to Dublin, Mr Trump said the UK would not “be willing to travel that far” if there was an invasion similar to the one in 1982, explaining that it would take the UK “weeks by boat” to get there.
While sitting with Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin, he added “I’m sure I’ll be called into that potential disaster”, but insisted that would be able to “settle it out”.
His comments come after Mr Trump previously said he would not back Britain if Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands, in retaliation for the UK’s stance on the Iran war.
Asked if he talked to Andy Burnham about the Falkland Islands in his phone call last week, Mr Trump said: “Well, the Falkland Islands is very interesting because here we go again.”
In an apparent reference to whether the UK would defend the islands from a potential invasion by Argentina, he continued: “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 it out.
“But right now, you have two countries that are not happy concerning the Falklands.”
Trump’s comments come amid renewed tension over the south Atlantic islands, whose population overwhelmingly favour remaining British.
Argentina’s president Javier Milei, an ally of Trump, reiterated his country’s claim to the Falklands in a national televised address earlier this month, saying the islands “are our future”.
His government has also imposed sanctions on people and companies involved in oil exploration around the Falklands and said it would file a criminal complaint against oil company Navitas Petroleum over its operations around the islands.
Asked in an interview with GB News whether he would support the UK in the event of another invasion, Mr Trump said he clearly remembered the 1982 war.
“I was there when they had the first war; that was a long time ago… you comported yourself very well, took it back very shortly. But it is a long way away,” he said.
“So, your country’s not doing well. Don’t forget you get a big percentage of your oil from the Strait of Hormuz and you weren’t there to help me. Your country was not there to help me.”
But in the Commons on Wednesday, prime minister Andy Burnham hit back, saying the UK would be “relentless” in defending the Falkland Islanders’ right to remain British.
Although the US is formally neutral on the issue of Falklands sovereignty, Washington provided support for Britain’s campaign to retake the islands after the Argentinian invasion in 1982.
It sparked the Falklands War, which led to 255 British service deaths in just over 70 days. It also led to the deaths of 655 Argentinians and three Falkland Islanders.
Falkland Islanders voted overwhelmingly to remain a British overseas territory in a 2013 referendum, with 99.8 per cent voting in favour – and just three votes against.
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