Well-known Falklands War hero Simon Weston suggested the visit by King Charles to the US could help change the tune amid a suggestion the US could review its position on the UK territory
A Falklands War veteran said he believes King Charles could convince Donald Trump to “back down” on reports the US could review its position on the UK territory which Argentina claims as its own.
An apparent leaked internal Pentagon email has suggested the US was looking into options to punish NATO allies it thought had not helped Trump in his war against Iran. Downing Street, on Friday, said sovereignty of the remote oversea territory “rests with the UK”.
Falklands hero Simon Weston branded the US President’s alleged move a “hissy fit” and shared his verdict on how the state visit could improve relations between the UK and US, amid war in the Middle East.
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King Charles and Queen Camilla are due to travel to the US next week for a state visit to mark the 250th anniversary of US independence.
Trump has slammed Sir Keir Starmer and strained the once strong relationship between the pair, as the US President attempts to pressure the UK into joining the US war with Iran.
Despite this, war hero Simon Weston said he hopes King Charles could convince Trump to “back down and calm down” over the Falklands while on his important state visit. Weston, speaking to the BBC, said: “The visit of the King next week couldn’t come at a better time.”
He added: “He’s [Trump] paying absolutely no heed to the humanity that he’s abusing with his words because the people of the Falklands deserve more respect, but so do every veteran who served down there deserve more respect.” The war veteran said: “The people of the Falklands deserve more respect but so do every veteran who served down there.”
A total of 255 British Armed Forces personnel were killed in the 72-day war to regain the islands in 1982 following the Argentinian invasion, and another 777 troops were wounded. Weston, a Welsh Guardsman, was left with life-changing burns that covered 46% of his body when the RFA Sir Galahad ship was hit by bombs from an Argentinian fighter jet as it waited to transfer troops ashore.
Weston, who was awarded a CBE in 2016 for his charity work for British veterans, told LBC this week: “He’s [Trump] thrown them under a bus, because he’s having a hissy fit around no-one wanting to go to his fight.
The war veteran added: “It’s destabilising for decent, hardworking people and the community that are there. They have to go to bed tonight with the uncertainty now that something may change – this is just cruel.”
The US President, on Thursday, also suggested the state visit by the King and Queen could help mend fractures in the relationship between the longstanding allies.
Trump, when asked by the BBC if King Charles could help fix strained relations, said: “Absolutely. He’s fantastic. He’s a fantastic man. Absolutely the answer is yes.” He added: “I know him [King Charles] well, I’ve known him for years. He’s a brave man, and he’s a great man. They would absolutely be a positive”
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper wrote in an X post: “The Falklands Islands are British – sovereignty rests with the UK, self-determination rests with the islanders.”
A representative for the Falkland Islands Government stated: “Self-determination is a fundamental human right enshrined in article one, paragraph two of the Charter of the United Nations. In 2013, the Falkland Islands held an internationally observed sovereignty referendum, in which 99.8% of voters, on a turnout of 92 per cent, voted in favour of remaining an Overseas Territory of the United Kingdom.”
The Pentagon has not commented on the apparent email but a spokesperson told the BBC it would “ensure that the president has credible options to ensure that our allies are no longer a paper tiger and instead do their part”.
