Donald Trump has said he could “settle” any conflict over the Falkland Islands, describing a war between the UK and Argentina as a “potential disaster”.
The US president has previously indicated he might not back the UK’s sovereignty over the Falklands if Argentina launched an attack, and again waded into the dispute during a visit to Dublin on Saturday.
Speaking to reporters while sitting with Irish Taoiseach Micheál Martin, Mr Trump suggested the UK would not “be willing to travel that far” if Argentina invaded the Falklands as it did in 1982, adding it would be “weeks by boat”.
He said: “I’m not sure they’re doing that. They have a little problem with immigration.
“They have a little problem with energy, and then have some other problems they have to take care of.”
He added: “I’m sure I’ll be called into that potential disaster, but if they do, I’ll probably be able to settle, settle it out.”
Mr Trump’s comments come amid renewed tension over the south Atlantic islands, whose population overwhelmingly favour remaining British.
Argentina’s president Javier Milei, an ally of Mr Trump, reiterated his country’s claim to the Falklands in a national televised address, saying the islands “are our future”.
His government has also imposed sanctions on people and companies involved in oil exploration around the Falklands and said it would file a criminal complaint against oil company Navitas Petroleum over its operations around the islands.
In the Commons on Wednesday, Prime Minister Andy Burnham said the UK would be “relentless” in defending the Falkland Islanders’ right to be British.
Although the US is formally neutral on the issue of Falklands sovereignty, Washington provided support for Britain’s campaign to retake the islands after the Argentinian invasion in 1982.
It sparked the Falklands War, which led to 255 British service deaths in just over 70 days. It also led to the deaths of 655 Argentinians and three Falkland Islanders.
