The Royal Navy is in talks to send an aircraft carrier to US Independence Day celebrations in New York – even after Donald Trump dismissed Britain’s warships as ‘toys compared to what we have’.
Labour is considering sending the 65,000-ton HMS Prince of Wales to join the event on July 4, which will mark 250 years since America defeated Britain in 1776.
The move comes despite Trump repeatedly insulting the prized naval vessel, along with the £3.2billion HMS Queen Elizabeth, branding them as ‘old and broken down’.
Tensions between the US President and Sir Keir Starmer have increased in recent weeks over the UK’s refusal to join the conflict he launched in the Middle East.
Now, the prospect of a Royal Navy presence at the Independence Day celebrations in New York has sparked anger in some military circles.
‘This just feels humiliating,’ one source told The Telegraph.
‘Why should we send the carrier to join an event marking the defeat of Britain, for a president who has called us cowards and mocked our ships?’
It is understood that Downing Street is yet to make a final decision on whether the 920ft-long HMS Prince of Wales will make the journey across the Atlantic in July.
Labour could send the 65,000-ton HMS Prince of Wales (pictured) to join the event on July 4, which marks the moment America defeated Britain in 1776
Donald Trump has repeatedly insulted Britain’s prized naval vessels
The ship is already down to take part in the NATO exercise in the Arctic circle and surrounding areas in the coming weeks.
A Navy source said: ‘No final decision has been made. All these conversations are still taking place.
‘But it will be up to the secretary of state to make the decision on what the ship may or may not do.’
Sir Keir previously accused Trump of badmouthing him and Britain’s naval capabilities in public in an attempt to drag the UK into the war against Iran.
The US President has decried Sir Keir as ‘no Churchill’ who made ‘a big mistake’ in not rushing to support the US-Israeli onslaught.
The rift has left the transatlantic ‘special relationship’ at its lowest ebb in decades.
Asked whether Trump’s repeated attacks had made him bristle, the Prime Minister told Sky News’ Electoral Dysfunction podcast: ‘I think I understand what’s happening, it’s to put pressure on me in different ways.
‘But, that pressure isn’t going to make me waver. It’s not going to make me abandon my principles or values, and that’s just the way I am.
‘That is not new. That isn’t because of President Trump. I’ve got core values and principles I’ve held all my life, and they’re irreducible.’
Trump took aim at the UK’s aircraft carriers, HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales, at a White House Cabinet meeting at the end of last month.
He said: ‘Now they all want to help. When they’re annihilated, the other side is annihilated, they said, ‘”we’d love to send ships”‘…
‘We had the UK say that ‘”we’ll send”‘ – this is three weeks ago – ‘”we’ll send our aircraft carriers”‘, which aren’t the best aircraft carriers, by the way.
‘They’re toys compared to what we have.’
Despite Trump’s insults, King Charles is still planning to travel to the US next month for his first state visit to the country.
His trip will come ahead of America’s 250th anniversary and follows Trump’s historic second state visit to Britain in September last year.
There had been calls for the King to postpone his trip across the Atlantic while the US is engaged in a war with Iran.
Mr Trump denied that tensions with Britain over the Middle East conflict would affect the King’s visit.
Answering media questions at a Cabinet meeting, the US President said: ‘He’s going to be here very soon, as you know, we’re going have a state dinner.
‘It’s going be great,’ he added. ‘He’s a friend of mine.’
A Ministry of Defence spokesperson said: ‘We do not comment on speculation regarding operational deployments.’
