Trump’s farewell message to Starmer

US President Donald Trump has predicted that Keir Starmer “will resign” as UK Prime Minister, in a post on his Truth Social platform published amid mounting speculation over Starmer’s future.

Trump wrote that the Prime Minister had “failed badly” on two subjects he described as very important -immigration and energy – and called on the UK to open up North Sea oil. He signed off the message: “I wish him well!”

Trump’s social post came on Sunday as reports suggested Starmer could set out a timetable to stand down as early as Monday, following Labour’s defeat in last week’s Makerfield by-election.

The post marks a further low in a relationship that has cooled over recent months. Starmer had been seen as seeking to stay on good terms with the president in pursuit of favourable trade terms for the UK, and was accused by critics of kowtowing to Trump after he returned to office in January.

Relations deteriorated over Starmer’s reluctance to involve the UK in the US-Israel war on Iran to the extent that Trump wanted.

The president repeatedly criticised Starmer’s refusal to approve direct British military involvement, at one point branding him “no Winston Churchill” over his cautious approach to the conflict.

The two leaders were last seen together at the G7 summit in France last week, where they were photographed in conversation ahead of a family photo.

Now read: The bill waiting for Burnham