'I was critical of him...': Trump lists reasons for Starmer's resignation: Did US president play any role in the decision?
&imwidth=600&imheight=450&format=webp&quality=medium "'I was critical of him...': Trump lists reasons for Starmer's resignation: Did US president play any role in the decision?")
Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US President Donald Trump speak during the G7 summit | Image from June 2026 Photograph: (AFP)
Trump reacted to British PM Keir Starmer's resignation, saying his government struggled with energy, immigration and crime. Trump criticised Starmer's stance on North Sea oil drilling and NATO cooperation, while wishing him well despite their differences.
US President Donald Trump has reacted to the resignation of British PM Kier Starmer saying that he messed up on a lot of things. Speaking to reporters in his Oval Office, Trump blamed Starmer for energy policy, immigration and also said that he was not good with NATO. Throughout his tenure as UK PM, Trump was critical about him and had publicly criticised him for not providing "adequate" support to US in its war against Iran and efforts to open the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping corridor.
"I was critical of him only because, as I told him, 'You're really messing up energy. You have windmills all over the place. In the meantime, you have the North Sea oil,' and they won't let anybody drill... The UK has a much better portion of the North Sea. They don't want to do it for environmental purposes... He was not good to us with NATO. He said, 'We can't use the island,' for a couple of weeks. Then he said, 'Well, but ultimately I gave it to you.' No, that was a bad move. That hurt him badly, but I wish him well. But he's got two problems. Energy and immigration. And crime." Hours before Starmer's resignation, Trump had wrote on Truth Social: “He [Starmer] failed badly on two very important subjects- IMMIGRATION AND ENERGY (OPEN NORTH SEA OIL!). I wish him well!.”
Starmer resigns
Starmer announced his decision to resign on June 22 after a month of leadership crisis in the Labour Party. He was facing increasing criticism from his own party and cabinet, and a challenge from his party colleague and rival Andy Burnham, who just won his way to the UK parliament with a thumping majority. Though, he had said that he would not “walk away”, he became the sixth UK PM to resign in just 10 years. “Every decision I have taken has been about putting the country I love first. That is why I will resign as leader of the Labour Party,” he said in his resignation statement.
UK set for 7th PM in 10 years
The leadership crisis in Labour Party is ongoing with United Kingdom bracing itself for its seventh prime minister within a 10-year period. This turnover of leadership began in June 2016 following the Brexit referendum. Following the Brexit referendum, David Cameron stepped down in July 2016 and was succeeded by Theresa May, who resigned in 2019 after failing to secure parliamentary approval for her Brexit deal. Boris Johnson took over but was forced out in 2022 following a series of scandals. His successor, Liz Truss, lasted just 49 days before resigning amid market turmoil triggered by her economic plans. Rishi Sunak then led the country until the Conservatives' defeat in the 2024 general election, after which Starmer became prime minister.
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