The UK has always relied on its special relationship with the US. But now it is threatened by the same punitive tariffs as other European countries. Are efforts to win Trump's favor in vain?
Relations between the UK and the US have seen better times. A post on social media has dealt them another heavy blow: US President Donald Trump described as "a great folly" the British government's decision to return the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean to Mauritius.
In this regard, the German public media ARD recalls that in 2019 the International Court of Justice ruled that Britain's claims to sovereignty over the islands were in violation of international law. Therefore, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer reached an agreement with Mauritius, according to which the Americans and the British will continue to use the military base located there.
Trump's statement resonated like a bombshell in political circles in London, ARD correspondent Christoph Prösl also writes. When asked by the BBC what she thought of the statement, Emily Thornberry, chairwoman of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the lower house of the British parliament, described Trump's behavior as presidential harassment.
Did Trump's courtship prove to be in vain?
Relations between the United States and Great Britain are, to put it mildly, strained. There is a feeling, especially among the opposition in the House of Commons, that it did not deserve Trump's courtship. And in the public sphere, the special relationship with the US, that is, the idea that Britain can benefit from its special proximity to the Americans, is increasingly being questioned. Brexit supporters are especially fond of arguing that leaving the EU was a step in this direction and contributed to Britain's further rapprochement with the US.
As early as 2018, assessments were made on the Island that after Brexit, President Trump should be "our greatest ally". In view of the looming danger of punitive tariffs over Greenland, Britain now finds itself in the same boat as Denmark, France and Germany. It seems that several European countries are the last bastion of the rules-based world order, the German public media commented.
The ARD also recalls that the Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, has made an attempt to dispel doubts about relations with Britain and to assure that the two countries are united despite some differences. But these differences turn out to be very large.
To deepen relations with China?
Among them are both Greenland and rules-based international politics, as well as China. The British government has approved a project to expand the Chinese embassy. The new building is remarkable in many ways - the terrain is huge, and the building is historic - it is the former Royal Mint. The location is also special - it is located right next to the Tower of London. Critics fear that the embassy is so large because China wants to turn it into a center for its espionage activities. According to the "Telegraph" newspaper, there are over 200 rooms in the basement of the building alone that could be used for secret service activities.
Hong Kong residents who have fled to the UK are also critical. They fear reprisals from China. This is the wrong signal, Mike Johnson, who heads the US House of Representatives, is categorical. In his speech, he clearly stated that the West must stand up to China and Russia.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will soon visit China, and the main topic of the visit will be trade. It is becoming increasingly important for the UK, especially against the backdrop of the looming threat of a trade war with the US, summarizes the German public media ARD.