The Daily Populous Tuesday March 31st, 2026 evening edition
Authored by uk.news.yahoo.com and submitted by Gopu_17

Donald Trump has lashed out at Britain, saying the US “won’t be there to help you any more, just like you weren’t there for us” in an extraordinary rant against allies over the Iran war.

The President told countries that did not take part in strikes against Iran to “get your own oil”, saying they should attempt to reopen the Strait of Hormuz themselves now that the US had “done the hard part”.

He also reignited his row with Sir Keir Starmer, saying Britain had “refused to get involved in the decapitation of Iran” and needed to “start learning how to fight for yourself”.

The incendiary comments came moments before Buckingham Palace confirmed King Charles and Queen Camilla are to go ahead with a state visit to Washington later in April, despite calls for it to be postponed or even cancelled because of Trump’s conflict in the Middle East.

Donald Trump said the UK should make its own attempts to unblock the Strait of Hormuz to get oil supplies going again (Leon Neal/PA) (PA Archive)

Britain is to deploy extra troops to the Middle East, bringing Britain’s military presence to around 1,000.

Defence secretary John Healey, who is on a visit to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Bahrain – countries which have borne the brunt of Iran’s retaliatory action – said “Britain’s best” was helping to protect partners and allies in the region.

Mr Healey said that, his recent discussions with Gulf leaders, “they underline how valued Britain's defensive help is – and they also underline the fact that they judge us by our actions and not our words.”

Multinational efforts continue to secure the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz and “restore this economic lifeblood and artery in the world's economy,” he added.

Iran has imposed a de facto blockade on the waterway, upending global oil and gas supplies, which have caused energy prices to surge. The Islamic Republic has allowed some ships to pass through in a “tollbooth” system, where vessels pay as much as $2m per voyage or according to particular political and financial conditions.

Mr Trump’s outburst comes after he reportedly told senior aides he is considering withdrawing from the conflict without a plan in place to reopen the waterway. That would leave Tehran in control of the vital shipping lane, prolonging economic chaos around the world.

On his Truth Social platform, the president wrote: “All of those countries that can’t get jet fuel because of the Strait of Hormuz, like the United Kingdom, which refused to get involved in the decapitation of Iran, I have a suggestion for you: Number 1, buy from the U.S., we have plenty, and Number 2, build up some delayed courage, go to the Strait, and just TAKE IT.

“You’ll have to start learning how to fight for yourself, the U.S.A. won’t be there to help you anymore, just like you weren’t there for us.

“Iran has been, essentially, decimated. The hard part is done. Go get your own oil! President DJT”.

Damage to the Kuwait-flagged Al-Salmi crude oil tanker, following a reported strike, amid the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran, March 31, 2026. (REUTERS)

Later, defence secretary, Pete Hegseth, hit out at the Royal Navy, saying other countries “ought to be prepared to step up on this critical waterway”.

He told a press conference: “It is not just the United States Navy. Last time I checked, there was supposed to be a big, bad Royal Navy that could be prepared to do things like that as well.”

Smoke rises from the area of the Kuwait International Airport after a reported drone strike hit a fuel depot on March 25. (AFP/Getty)

Earlier on Tuesday Iran set alight an oil tanker off the coast of Dubai. The fire, on the Kuwait-flagged Al-Slami, which was carrying two million barrels of oil valued at more than $200m, was brought under control following a drone attack.

Meanwhile, Sir Keir chaired a Cobra crisis committee to consider the impact on households and the wider economy.

Costs for homes reliant on heating oil, which are not covered by a broader energy price cap, have already soared, prompting ministers to announce a £53 million package of support for customers.

Sir Keir has previously promised to keep a planned rise in fuel duty from September "under review in light of what's happening in Iran".

It is not the first time President Trump and Sir Keir have been at loggerheads during the war. Within days of the conflict starting, the PM dramatically U-turned to allow the Americans permission to use RAF bases to tackle the threat from Iran for the “limited specific defensive purpose” of protecting UK and US allies across the Middle East.

Within weeks, President Trump had said he was "not happy" with the UK, saying it "should be involved enthusiastically" in efforts to reopen the Strait.

He also said Sir Keir was “no Winston Churchill’ and later branded Nato allies, including the UK, “cowards”.

Zlimness on March 31st, 2026 at 12:22 UTC »

For someone who keeps touting 'America first' and doesn't give a shit about anyone else, he sure likes to complain a lot when he doesn't get any help from others.

SureSell6750 on March 31st, 2026 at 12:19 UTC »

Reading between the lines, and from what we know about how Trump conducts himself, all that tweet says to me is that the man is absolutely desperate and has completely lost control of the situation

ContentsMayVary on March 31st, 2026 at 12:19 UTC »

No we don't want to be any part of Operation Epic Fail. You can manage your own distractions from the Epstein files, you nonce.