What has Donald Trump said about the Falklands?
The Falklands are in the spotlight after Donald Trump’s administration hinted it might withdraw support for the UK’s possession of the islands.
Trump’s administration appears to be considering moves that could affect the UK thousands of miles south near the Antarctic – the Falklands.
The islands have been possessed by Britain as an overseas territory, but Argentina, which is just some 300 miles from the archipelago, has also staked a claim on them, calling them Las Malvinas.
Here is a roundup of the latest US stance on the islands that has ruffled some feathers in the UK.
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What has Donald Trump said about the Falklands?
The UK government doesn’t consider itself a coloniser of the islands, while Argentina has labelled the British presence a ‘hangover from the days of British imperialism.’
The row over the islands boiled over into the Falklands War in 1982 when Argentina invaded them.
After Argentina surrendered following the 74-day conflict, the US has quietly recognised Britain’s control of the islands while remaining neutral in the geopolitical feud.
However, a Pentagon email reportedly set out options for Trump’s officials to retaliate against Nato allies over their refusal to support US-Israel attacks in Iran.
The memo, revealed by an American official to Reuters, hinted that the US could review its stance on London’s claim to ‘imperial possessions’ like the islands.
Trump or White House are yet to comment directly on the issue.
What would the loss of US support actually mean?
The rumours about the US stance have already led to Argentina renewing its calls for fresh Falklands talks with the UK.
Argentina has long called for the decolonisation of the islands, but pledged it will not use military power to solve the dispute.
How has the UK government responded?
The government has insisted that the UK’s position to the Falkland Islands remains unchanged.
A spokesman for No 10 Downing Street said: ‘The Falkland Islands have previously voted overwhelmingly in favour of remaining a UK overseas territory, and we’ve always stood behind the islanders’ right to self-determination and the fact that sovereignty rests with the UK.
‘The question of the Falkland Islands and the UK’s sovereignty and the islanders’ right to self-determination is not in question, and we’ve expressed that position clearly and consistently.’
How have the Falklands responded?
The Falklands government, which rules over the 3,662 islanders, said it felt confident about the UK government’s pledge.
It said it had ‘complete confidence in the commitment made by the UK government to uphold and defend our right of self-determination.’
The diplomatic uproar comes just days before the King and Queen are travelling to the US for the state visit hosted by Trump.
Falklands war veteran Simon Weston said he hopes the monarch will convince Trump to ‘back down’ over the islands.
Mr Weston, who was injured in the Falklands War, told BBC Newsnight: ‘I would hope that he [the King] would just kind of get him [Trump] to back down and calm down over the Falklands.
‘What we don’t need is [Argentine president Javier] Mr Milei to raise his sleeves and believe that aggression may work because that would just cost more lives.’
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