President Donald Trump, while meeting with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer at his Turnberry golf resort in Scotland, praised Britain’s recent efforts to reduce immigration via small boat crossings. Although he admitted he knew “nothing about the boats,” Trump expressed approval of the UK government’s stance, saying, “My hats are off to you.”
The remarks came during a conversation with Christopher Hope, who had earlier asked Trump whether he had advice for the UK regarding the small boats crisis, a reference to vessels carrying migrants across the English Channel. Initially unfamiliar with the term, Trump nonetheless offered strong opinions on the matter once it was explained to him. “Immigration is a big factor,” he said.
“And I think, frankly, if they’re coming from other countries and you don’t know who they are, are they coming from prisons? We have them where they came in from prisons. We’re moving them all out.
“Last month, we [US] had zero people come into the country, zero, other than coming through legal means. If you’re stopping immigration and stopping the wrong people, my hats are off to you. You’re doing, not a good thing, you’re doing a fantastic thing.”
President Donald Trump
Trump also added, “If the boats are loaded up with bad people – and they usually are, because other countries don’t send their best, they send people that they don’t want, they’re not stupid people, they send the people that they don’t want.”
In response, Starmer acknowledged the government’s actions, saying, “a lot of work” had been done to reduce numbers. According to the prime minister, 35,000 people had been returned over the past year.
Despite these claims, immigration advocates and humanitarian organizations argue that asylum seekers attempting to enter the UK are often fleeing oppressive regimes and violence, not criminals being expelled by foreign governments. Nonetheless, Trump’s comments highlight an increasingly shared position between the UK and US administrations on controlling irregular migration.
British Pharmaceuticals To Dodge Heavy Tariffs
Trump’s remarks also ventured into trade policy. During the same meeting, he hinted that the United States might spare British pharmaceuticals from heavy upcoming tariffs. Standing alongside Starmer, Trump stated, “But you also have a good pharmaceutical business – we’ll be dealing with you on pharmaceuticals also – and we certainly feel a lot better with your country working on pharmaceuticals for America.”
The gesture was seen by some analysts as an attempt to foster goodwill amid broader discussions on transatlantic trade. Trump’s administration is reportedly preparing to announce new tariffs on international pharmaceutical imports, but he suggested Britain might be treated more leniently.
The meeting, held at the president’s Turnberry resort in South Ayrshire, was a carefully choreographed event. Starmer and his wife, Lady Victoria, were received by Trump to the sound of traditional Scottish bagpipes as they arrived at the historic property.
Trump’s visit and his remarks come during a time of political tension and uncertainty around migration and trade policies in both the UK and the US. With the UK having recently expanded the electorate to include 16 and 17-year-olds and facing growing pressure from both left and right over its domestic policies, the prime minister’s visit with President Trump was seen as a diplomatic balancing act.
While the leaders exchanged mutual praise in front of cameras, the underlying issues, from migration to trade, remain politically charged and far from resolved.
As such, Trump’s acknowledgment of the UK’s small boats policy, coupled with his openness on trade cooperation, signals a continued alignment between London and Washington on key policy fronts.
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