Donald Trump has claimed he ‘saved’ Britain from a nuclear attack by launching strikes on Iran, as he renewed his criticism of the UK for refusing to join the conflict.
The US President also described the UK as reaching ‘tipping point’ and made a fresh attack on London, saying that immigration had created ‘no go’ zones in the city.
In doing so, Mr Trump reignited his long-running feud with London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan during the TV interview on Thursday, dismissing him as a ‘nasty guy’.
But a source close to the Labour mayor hit back, saying Mr Trump ‘just can’t comprehend our success’.
Justifying the war, the US leader said: ‘I’m saving your country from the threat too.
‘Because if Iran had a nuclear weapon, they’re more likely to use it in Europe, where they do have missile capability, than they are in America, where they don’t.’
‘I’m saving your country from a problem because they would use it.’
Mr Trump made the remarks as tensions between Washington and Tehran remain at boiling point over the strategically vital Strait of Hormuz in the Middle East.
US President Donald Trump spoke at a dinner he hosted in the Rose Garden at the White House on Wednesday
Smoke rises from the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the nearby area of al-Mansouri in Lebabanon on Wednesday
A drone view shoes vessels stranded near the Strait of Hormuz in August
The vital oil and gas shipping route stayed open before the US and Israeli offensive against Iran, which was aimed at preventing the country from developing a nuclear weapon.
The disruption in the Gulf channel has sent shock waves across the world’s economies, including the UK’s, and caused a spike in petrol prices.
The US President again dug into Britain’s reluctance under former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer to be drawn into the Iran conflict.
During Keir Starmer’s premiership, the UK initially refused to take part in the US-Israeli offensive against Iran.
Sir Keir later authorised forces to support ‘defensive’ strikes against targets such as missile launchers.
However, the UK did not agree to Mr Trump’s call to send the Navy to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. A fifth of global oil and gas supplies typically pass through the waterway, but Iran blockaded it in response to the attacks.
A furious Mr Trump branded Sir Keir ‘no Churchill’ and insisted he had refused a British offer to send an aircraft carrier to the region because it came too late. Ministers denied such an offer had been made.
Speaking to GB News, the US President said: ‘Don’t forget, you get a big percentage of your oil from the Strait of Hormuz, and you weren’t there to help me.’
London Mayor Sadiq Khan attended the ‘Let’s Do London’ US tourism campaign in Times Square in May 2022
It came after the US President is believed to have been holding private discussions with senior aides about whether to declare the war is over.
It is understood Mr Trump told his aides that he believes piling economic pressure on Tehran will eventually force the regime either to dismantle its nuclear programme or collapse.
Mr Trump’s threat on Thursday was bolstered by hints the US may in turn pull support for the UK over the ‘sacred’ issue of the Falkland Islands – a situation the US has traditionally taken a neutral position on.
The threat comes after Argentine President Javier Milei, a US ally, made a new claim on the British territory.
Mr Trump used the same interview to warn that the UK is heading for ‘disaster’ unless it tackles immigration and changes its stance on energy, adding the UK has ‘changed a lot’.
He said: ‘If you don’t stop people pouring into your country from all over the world, you’re not going to have a country left.’
‘I mean, if you go through London, London’s a much different place,’ Mr Trump added.
‘You have a terrible mayor. He’s a nasty guy, nasty person. He’s a very bad mayor.
Trump and former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer attended the NATO summit in July
‘You have crime that’s very high, and London’s a very much different place than if you took somebody from 15 or 20 years ago and brought them through London, they wouldn’t know what happened. Such a different place.’
He went on: ‘You have areas in Paris and London where the police don’t want to even go in them, there’s no law and order. They’re afraid to go in them. Either they’re afraid or they just don’t, you know, they don’t want to lose their life.’
But a source close to the London mayor said: ‘Sadiq is still living rent free in Trump’s head. The guy is obsessed with him.
‘Crime rates are down all across London, with violent crime lower than every major US city.
‘London is a diverse, multi-cultural and thriving global city – the best city in the world. Trump just can’t comprehend our success.’
Mr Trump and Mr Khan have verbally sparred for years, their feud having ignited in 2015 as the Apprentice star ran for his first term on a platform of banning Muslims from the United States.
But the arguments have intensified in recent months after the President claimed in September 2025, without evidence, that London wanted ‘to go to Sharia law’ under the Mayor in a speech to the United Nations.
Mr Trump also used the opportunity to double down on his attack on Prince Harry and Meghan Markle.
Prince Harry and Meghan Markle attended the David Foster Foundation 40th Anniversary celebration in August
Trump and Sir Keir met at Chequers with Lady Victoria Starmer (right) and First Lady Melania Trump in September 2025
The US President accused the couple of being ‘very terrible’ to Prince William and insisting they would ‘never speak to them again’.
He also seemingly placed the majority of blame on the Duchess of Sussex for the rift with the Royal Family, accusing her of having a ‘horrible’ influence on her British husband.
His fresh attack came 24 hours after he claimed he ‘wouldn’t have taken them back’ following their shock return to the UK.
Mr Trump said the Sussexes had done ‘too many horrible things’ to be welcomed back so easily.
The fact that the King had recently met Harry and Meghan showed Charles is ‘a much better person than I am,’ Mr Trump said.
‘I wouldn’t have done it. I would have said forget it,’ he said.
‘Personally, I would not have taken them back. Too much hate, too many really bad things.’
Meghan and Harry have returned to the UK after six years and the President said he was ‘happy’ they had left the US.
He said: ‘First of all, I think King Charles is fantastic, he’s a friend of mine. He [Prince Harry] wrote a book that was so bad, and she was a horrible influence on him. What she’s done to him is unacceptable.’
Mr Trump argued that the way the couple treated Harry’s brother, Prince William, was also ‘terrible’.
He said: ‘But I think that what she [Meghan] has done and him [Prince Harry], he wrote a book that was very terrible to William, it was terrible.
‘The things he said, I wouldn’t… I mean, it’s just me. I’m sure I’m wrong on this, but I would not have taken him back. I would have never spoken to him again.’
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