President Donald Trump said Monday that the United States is reviewing its position on the Falkland Islands, after reports that Washington threatened to oppose Britain’s sovereignty if it does not increase defense spending.
The proposal concerning the South Atlantic archipelago, over which Britain and Argentina went to war in 1982, was among measures being drawn up by the Pentagon to incentivize NATO allies to meet spending pledges, the Daily Telegraph reported last week.
Asked if he wanted the government of new British Prime Minister Andy Burnham to increase its current spending pledges, Trump replied: “The UK’s got some problems but they’ll get solved. Argentine forces invaded the British overseas territory, which resulted in then-British prime minister Margaret Thatcher sending a naval task force to reclaim them. Then US-president Ronald Reagan initially took a neutral stance, but after peace talks broke down Washington gave Britain military and intelligence support.
Washington officially recognizes de facto UK administration of the Falkland Islands which Argentina calls “Las Malvinas” without taking a side on the conflicting sovereignty claims. But the Pentagon review aimed at getting US allies to hit a 5-percent defense spending target could give Britain “special attention” by threatening to oppose British sovereignty outright, the Telegraph said. Earlier reporting noted: US President Donald Trump said he was reviewing the United States’ position on the Falkland Islands, the remote British-ruled archipelago in the South Atlantic.
