U.S. President Donald Trump delivered a sweeping broadside against Britain on Thursday, warning the country was “on the edge of disaster” as he attacked its immigration and energy policies, criticized London Mayor Sadiq Khan and questioned Britain’s reluctance to join Washington’s war against Iran.
In an interview with GB News, Trump said Britain faced serious problems despite repeatedly stressing his affection for the country and praising King Charles III.
“Your country’s in trouble. You’re on the edge of disaster,” Trump said, pointing to immigration and high energy costs as two of the biggest challenges facing Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s government.
“You have a tremendous immigration problem, and you have a tremendous energy problem. Your energy is three, four times higher than it should be,” he said.
Trump, a longtime critic of policies aimed at combating climate change, again urged Britain to exploit its North Sea oil and gas reserves rather than continue its transition away from fossil fuels.
Burnham’s government is weighing whether to approve two major North Sea developments while maintaining that Britain must ultimately shift toward cleaner sources of electricity.
Trump also issued a stark warning over migration, saying Britain risked losing its national character unless it curbed arrivals from abroad.
“If you don’t stop people pouring into your country from all over the world, you’re not going to have a country left,” he said.
Irregular migration has remained one of Britain’s most contentious political issues, particularly the arrival of migrants and asylum-seekers in small boats across the English Channel.
The Burnham government has maintained the previous administration’s pledge to curb the crossings and said this week that arrivals had fallen sharply as British and French authorities intensified efforts against smuggling networks.
Trump revives feud with London mayor
Trump also renewed his long-running attacks on Khan, describing the London mayor as a “nasty guy” and claiming parts of the British capital had become unsafe because of immigration.
“You have areas in Paris and London where the police don’t want to even go in them,” Trump said, claiming officers were either afraid or unwilling to enter some neighborhoods.
Khan’s allies rejected the characterization, pointing to declining crime figures and describing London as a successful multicultural global city.
London recorded 97 homicides in 2025, down 36% from 153 in 2019, according to figures cited in British media.
The exchange marked another chapter in the feud between Trump and Khan, who have repeatedly traded criticism over immigration, crime and politics during Trump’s years on the international stage.
Iran war strains ties
Trump also turned his attention to Britain’s refusal to join the U.S.-led military campaign against Iran, arguing that Washington’s actions had protected Britain from a potential Iranian nuclear threat.
“I’m saving your country from the threat too,” Trump said, claiming Iran would have been more likely to use a nuclear weapon against Europe than the United States because of its missile capabilities.
His remarks come amid tensions over the Strait of Hormuz, the critical energy corridor disrupted by the U.S.-Israeli offensive against Iran.
Trump criticized Britain for not providing military assistance, saying London depended heavily on energy supplies moving through the strategic waterway.
“Don’t forget, you get a big percentage of your oil from the Strait of Hormuz, and you weren’t there to help me,” he said.
Trump also raised doubts about whether Washington would automatically back Britain in a future dispute with Argentina over the Falkland Islands, linking his frustration to London’s stance on the Iran war. Britain, meanwhile, has reiterated its position that sovereignty over the islands is not up for negotiation.
Despite his criticism of successive British governments, Trump repeatedly distinguished his political complaints from his feelings toward Britain and its monarchy.
He praised Charles, calling him a friend and expressing admiration for the king as he continues to undergo cancer treatment.
Trump takes aim at Harry, Meghan
Trump was far less complimentary about Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, following their return to Britain after six years living in the United States.
Trump said that if he were in Charles’ position, he would not have welcomed the couple back after their public criticism of members of the royal family.
He singled out Harry’s memoir “Spare,” criticizing the prince’s remarks about his brother, Prince William, and described Meghan as a “horrible influence” on her husband.
Trump said Charles was “a much better person than I am” for accepting his younger son back, adding that he personally would have cut ties.
“I would have never spoken to him again,” Trump said.
Harry and Meghan stepped back as working members of the royal family in 2020 and moved to North America, where they subsequently spoke publicly about their disputes with the monarchy.
The couple recently returned to Britain with their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, and are expected to remain in the country for an extended period, although their longer-term plans remain unclear.
The wide-ranging interview underscored the increasingly strained political relationship between Washington and London. Trump’s criticism stands in sharp contrast to the pageantry surrounding his 2025 state visit, as disagreements over Iran, energy, climate policy and immigration increasingly test the longstanding trans-Atlantic alliance.
