Prime Minister Keir Starmer and U.S. President Donald Trump spoke on the phone this evening, just hours after Trump declared that the UK leader was “no Churchill.”

Sources described the call as constructive, lasting approximately 20 minutes. Trump’s remarks came after the Truth Social founder reposted a Saturday Night Live UK comedy sketch mocking both himself and Starmer in an imagined telephone conversation, and hours after he stated that Starmer “is a nice guy with a beautiful family,” but “doesn’t produce.”

Trump’s comments follow Starmer hitting back, telling ITV News’ Robert Peston: “I’m fed up with the fact that families across the country see their bills go up and down on energy, businesses’ bills go up and down on energy because of the actions of Putin or Trump across the world and saying to families across the country, saying to businesses across the country: ‘We’ve just got to be, we’ve got to put up with being on the international market’.”

When a journalist previously asked Trump whether his relationship with Britain, or indeed Starmer himself, had shifted, he responded: “No, I was disappointed because Keir was willing to send two aircraft carriers after we won, because essentially we’re, there’s no threat for the aircraft carriers right now, and they said, no, no, we want things sent before the war, not after the war is won.

“So yeah, I’m disappointed with him. I like him. I think he’s a nice man, but I’m disappointed,” Trump added.

Then Trump said: “You see that man right there?” Trump asked, gesturing towards a painting. “You know who that is? Churchill, Winston Churchill, the late great Winston Churchill. And you know, unfortunately, Keir is not Winston Churchill.”

“We have a tremendous long-term relationship with the UK. I mean, people would say it’s the best. I don’t want to get into that, but we’ve had, it’s the longest, the oldest, should be the best, always was the best until Keir came along, and now, and I like him, he’s a nice man, he says everything beautiful, he’s a very.”

He concluded: “Nice man with a beautiful family, everything’s perfect, but he, he doesn’t produce.”

Hours later, the pair held a telephone conversation. The Prime Minister’s official spokesperson said: “The Prime Minister spoke to President Trump from Qatar this evening.

“The Prime Minister set out his discussions with Gulf leaders and military planners in the region on the need to restore freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, as well as the UK’s efforts to convene partners to agree a viable plan.

“They agreed that now there is a ceasefire in place and agreement to open the Strait, we are at the next stage of finding a resolution. “The leaders discussed the need for a practical plan to get shipping moving again as quickly as possible.

“They agreed to speak again soon.”

This is not the first occasion on which Trump has openly told the media that Starmer is no Churchill.

Back in early March, Trump branded Britain “uncooperative” and dismissed Starmer as “not Winston Churchill” after the Prime Minister initially rejected a US request to deploy UK bases for strikes on Iran.

Starmer subsequently confirmed that American aircraft could utilise bases in England and on the Indian Ocean island of Diego Garcia to target Iranian missile systems threatening British allies across the Middle East.

Trump remains disgruntled, and Starmer is anxiously awaiting whether the president’s fury will have any bearing on trans-Atlantic relations and trade negotiations.

The Labour leader had cultivated surprisingly warm relations with Trump since the president’s return to the White House in 2025, yet tensions between the two have steadily mounted over recent months.

Trump’s ambitions to seize Greenland were roundly condemned by Starmer and fellow European leaders earlier this year.