Britain canceled plans to send an aircraft carrier to a naval parade celebrating the United States' 250th anniversary due to an insult from then-President Donald Trump about the size of British warships, defense sources have claimed.
According to these sources, the Royal Navy scrapped plans for the HMS Prince of Wales to join other NATO vessels in the parade in the port of New York and New Jersey. The decision was reportedly made in direct response to Trump's remarks in March, when he dismissed British carriers as "toys" compared to U.S. naval power.
The Mail on Sunday reports that the U.K. had initially offered the carrier's participation last year, and the U.S. Navy had announced in January that a British aircraft carrier would be part of the event.
Sources indicated that the crew of the HMS Prince of Wales were disappointed not to be able to visit New York. One defense source stated, "This is not a very subtle move as we all know that the US President was rude about the size of our warships."
Sailors aboard the HMS Prince of Wales were reportedly eager for the visit, looking forward to docking in New York during a period of high public interest in events surrounding the U.S. independence celebrations.
However, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has denied that Trump's comments were the reason for the change. An MoD spokesperson stated that the HMS Prince of Wales is currently engaged in NATO operations in the High North, deterring Russian aggression. This commitment, they explained, prevents the carrier from making port visits in North America during its Operation Firecrest deployment.
The MoD spokesperson added that U.K. Armed Forces are supporting various celebratory events across the U.S. throughout the summer, including a July 4th fly-past over New York by the Red Arrows.
In March, following comments regarding perceived lack of U.K. support over the Iran war, Trump remarked, "They're toys compared to what we have," referring to the U.K. carriers. Al Carns, a former Defence Minister and Royal Marine veteran, had previously countered these remarks, asserting the formidable capabilities of British carriers.