Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has pledged to increase the British army by 20,000 as she warned that any replacement of Donald Trump in the White House will continue his military policies of moving away from European defence.
In a speech to the London Defence Conference, Ms Badenoch admitted to “dismay” at the language used by President Trump but warned that the idea of European defence without US involvement is “a fairytale”.
It came as she pledged “the largest net increase in British troops under any government since the Second World War” if the Tories return to power with an overall increase of 20,000 to the army.
Her speech comes amid questions over Keir Starmer’s plans to increase defence spending to 5 per cent and concerns over his government’s failure to provide its Defence Investment Plan details.
It also comes just ahead of King Charles III and Queen Camilla going the US on a state visit at the end of April which many are calling to be cancelled.
Sir Keir has said that Trump’s threats to “wipe out a whole civilisation” with the war on Iran have already been criticised by prime minister Sir Keir Starmer who questioned the president’s values.
Ms Badenoch said: “Many people find President Trump’s actions to be an anathema. They find his words unstatesmanlike, they find his treatment of allies to be needlessly provocative.
“I have to say that some of the president’s recent social media posts and comments to the press have dismayed me, too. Maybe his successor will return to more traditional diplomacy.”
However, she cautioned against a hope that a change in the White House will see a change in policy.
“If we comfort ourselves with these ideas we will miss the underlying lesson that Trump’s presidency is not the start, but a continuation of a change in US outlook and behaviour.
“For decades, the United States has been complaining… at least privately… that Europe is not pulling its weight on defence.
“And the ‘Special Relationship’ has not always been as special as we liked to think. Ronald Reagan invaded Grenada without consulting us, President Biden did the same when he pulled out of Afghanistan.
“President Trump may be unorthodox in how he talks to us but there are forces at play here that are much larger than his presidency.
“The mirror that he is holding up to Europe and that we are finding it so uncomfortable to look in is showing us that without the United States, we cannot properly defend ourselves. At present, European strategic autonomy is a fairytale.”
