US President Donald Trump hosted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on his luxury golf course on Scotland's southeastern coast on Monday, where the two leaders discussed the deepening food crisis in Gaza, Russia's war in Ukraine and tariff rates.
They met one day after a new US-EU trade deal was announced. The discussions follow a meeting between Trump and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen at his Turnberry course on Sunday.
At a previous G7 summit in Canada, Starmer and Trump signed a trade agreement lifting US tariffs on British aerospace exports and reducing duties on auto-related goods from 25% to 10% while increasing the amount of US beef it pledged to import.
Starmer came determined to press the US to take a larger role in helping quell what he called a “desperate situation” amid increasing reports of starvation in Gaza as Israel's onslaught on the enclave rages on.
Trump initially lamented at the US not having received enough credit for previously providing food aid. But he shifted tone when reporters questioned him about images of emaciated children from Gaza.
Asked if he agreed with Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s remarks about concerns of mass starvation in Gaza being overstated, he replied, “I don’t know. I mean, based on television, I would say not particularly because those children look very hungry.”
Starmer immediately was far more forceful: “I think people in Britain are revolted at seeing what they are seeing on their screens.”
Trump later shifted his tone on Israel dramatically and suggested a major recalibration of US policy toward the territory. He said Israel “has a lot of responsibility” for what’s happening but is hampered by what its actions might mean for the prospects of Israeli hostages Hamas has been holding since it attacked Israel in 2023.
“I think Israel can do a lot,” Trump said. He added that when next speaking to Netanyahu, he’d insist, “I want them to make sure they get the food,” noting that the US and others are giving money and food to Gaza and that Netanyahu has “got to, sort of, like, run it.”
“I want him to make sure they get the food,” Trump said.
'No reason in waiting' for Putin
Trump and Starmer also talked about a possible peace deal to end fighting in Russia’s war with Ukraine, particularly trying to force Russian President Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table within a 50-day window Trump set earlier this month.
The US president said he wanted to reduce the deadline from 50 days to "10 or 12 days".
There is "no reason in waiting”, he said, highlighting his growing frustration with the ongoing all-out war, now well into its fourth year.
Trump is set to return to the UK in September for an unprecedented second state visit. Trump will be hosted then by King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Windsor Castle.
