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<\/p>\nDowning Street said the UK ‘couldn’t be clearer’ about Britain’s sovereignty over the Falkland Islands after leaked messages suggested the US might order a review in retaliation over Iran<\/p>\n
11:48, 24 Apr 2026Updated 12:11, 24 Apr 2026<\/p>\n
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Downing Street has hit back over reports Trump could review the UK’s claim on the Falkland Islands(Image: AP)<\/p>\n
Downing Street has hit back at Donald Trump’s threat to review the UK’s claim over the Falkland Islands.<\/p>\n
No10 said the Government “couldn’t be clearer” that sovereignty on the territory remains with the UK after the US President’s latest bombshell. On Thursday evening it emerged that the unpredictable US commander-in-chief is considering punishing Britain<\/a> for not co-operating with the chaotic Iran war.<\/p>\n A leaked Pentagon email outlines options for Trump to hit back at Nato allies for lack of support in the Middle East, according to Reuters. These include reassessing US diplomatic support for European “imperial possessions” – like the Falklands, which are in the South Atlantic near Argentina.<\/p>\n A No10 spokesman said: “We could not be clearer about the UK’s position on the Falkland Islands. Its longstanding and unchanged sovereignty rests with the UK and the island’s right to self-determination is paramount, and it’s been our consistent position and will remain so.”<\/p>\n READ MORE: Labour policing chief makes knife crime vow as data shows cases FALLING<\/a>READ MORE: Fury as migrants to be locked up in Dunkirk detention centre under UK-France deal<\/a> The search and rescue mission off the coast of the Falkland Islands will continue into the night (Image: No credit)<\/p>\n He continued: “UK sovereignty and the islanders’ right to self-determination is not in question. And we’ve expressed that position clearly and consistently. We’ll continue to do so.”<\/p>\n Asked if the UK was in a position to defend the islands, the spokesman said: “That is not the situation we’re in. That’s a hypothetical.”<\/p>\n The US President’s comments will not make the PM change course on Iran, the spokesman said. Buenos Aires asserts a claim over the islands – also known as Las Malvinas – which are administered by the UK. The US supported Britain\u2019s efforts to retake the islands during the Falklands War in 1982, a conflict which saw 650 Argentine soldiers and 255 British troops die.<\/p>\n The memo also floated the idea of kicking Spain out of Nato, after Spanish PM Pedro S\u00e1nchez criticised Operation Epic Fury and refused to allow Spain\u2019s bases or airspace to be used to attack Iran.<\/p>\n Vindictive Trump has also threatened to slap tariffs on the UK if it refuses to drop a digital services tax on American social media firms. First introduced in 2020, it imposes a 2% levy on the revenues of several major US tech companies.<\/p>\n No10 said the PM will not be swayed by Trump’s threats(Image: AFP via Getty Images)<\/p>\n Speaking to reporters from the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump said: \u201cIf they don\u2019t drop the tax, we\u2019ll probably put a big tariff on the UK.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/britain\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/1_js266754887jpeg.jpg\")
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