Nigel Farage has turned on his long-time ally and friend Donald Trump after the US president threatened “a whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again” in his latest rant about Iran.
The Reform UK leader, who has often celebrated his relationship with Mr Trump, expressed shock at the president’s latest social media post, which marked a major escalation in his rhetoric against Tehran.
Mr Trump warned on Truth Social that he would carry out his latest threat unless Tehran capitulates to his demand to agree to a ceasefire deal and open the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday night, saying, “I don’t want that to happen, but it probably will.”
Speaking as he left a local election campaign event in Bedworth, Warwickshire, on Tuesday, Mr Farage said the comments went “way too far”, marking a split in their political friendship, which is said to have begun in 2016.
“I am quite shocked just to hear that. That is over the top in every single way,” he said after reading the first two lines of the post.
“Yes, of course, he wants to threaten – to get them to the negotiating table. But those words are… they’re way too far.”
Mr Farage added: “He’s an upset, angry American president. He’s wholly unconventional, but I would remind you of what Churchill said about the bombing of Germany during the war. Some quite extraordinary things were said there as well.”
On Truth Social, Mr Trump once again demanded that Tehran agree to open the key Strait of Hormuz shipping lane by 1am BST.
He wrote: “However, now that we have Complete and Total Regime Change, where different, smarter, and less radicalised minds prevail, maybe something revolutionarily wonderful can happen, WHO KNOWS?
“We will find out tonight, one of the most important moments in the long and complex history of the World. 47 years of extortion, corruption, and death, will finally end. God Bless the Great People of Iran.”
The post is the latest in a string of threats issued by the US president, who has also previously threatened to attack Iranian civilian infrastructure, a move the UN considers a war crime.
Downing Street is expected to refuse to allow the US military to use British assets for strikes on Iranian infrastructure.
Sir Keir Starmer previously permitted the US to use British bases, including Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, for “defensive” strikes on Iranian missile sites.
Asked whether the government would prevent UK assets being used for strikes on infrastructure, the prime minister’s official spokesman said: “We won’t be providing a running commentary on allies’ operations, including their use of bases.
“Just to point out that our position on this hasn’t changed. The agreement in place for the US to use UK bases for collective self-defence of the region, including US defensive operations to degrade missile sites and capabilities used to attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz.”
He said the UK’s “principles have been clear from day one” and are set out in “legal advice”.
Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey, a vocal critic of Mr Trump, urged the government to block the US from using UK air bases for further missions.
“After Trump’s latest shocking threats, Keir Starmer faces a choice. Withdraw US access now to UK air bases, or risk letting British soil be used to commit war crimes,” he wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
On Tuesday, the UK was chairing a meeting of military planners from a coalition of nations examining long-term measures to secure the strait. The discussion was expected to focus on plans for an international coalition to make the strait safe for shipping once hostilities had ended.
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