March 8, 2026international eventForeign PolicyAlliance ManagementMilitary Basinginternationaldiplomacywar
UK reverses on Iran war bases; Trump says he will not forget
Prime Minister Keir Starmer reversed course and agreed to allow the United States limited use of RAF Fairford and Diego Garcia for defensive operations against Iran, weeks after initially refusing Trump's request. The reversal came after intense U.S. pressure and parliamentary debate, but Trump publicly rejected it as too late: he told The Sun that Starmer had been "not helpful," called the delay inexcusable, and said the UK was "obviously not what it was" as an ally. The episode strained the U.S.–UK special relationship and exposed Starmer to opposition attacks at home.