Britain's new defense secretary said Sunday that European nations will ultimately look back and credit President Donald Trump for forcing the continent to take its own security seriously, even if they do not like his methods.
Wes Streeting, who took charge of the UK Ministry of Defence on July 20, made the comments during an appearance on Sky News. He took office the same day Andy Burnham became prime minister.
"We don't always like what he says, we don't always like his methods," Streeting told Sky News anchor Trevor Phillips, according to Fox News. "But I genuinely think when this period of history is written, Europe will thank President Trump for shaking us out of our complacency and forcing us to stand on our own two feet."
Streeting also addressed the relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom directly. He described the alliance as unlike any other in the world and said it is driven by shared history, culture, politics, and mutual self-interest.
"I've not even been in the job a week. I've always been aware that the alliance between the U.S. and the U.K. is unlike any in the world, and of course, that's historic, it's cultural, it's political," he said. "It's driven by self-interest as well as mutual shared interests."
On the subject of Iran, Streeting was clear. Britain has declined to participate in U.S. offensive military action against Iran and will not change that position. During his first week in office, he spoke with U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth about maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz and broader NATO commitments.
"I was clear that we've not supported offensive action in Iran, and we won't support offensive action in Iran," Streeting said. "But there are plenty of things that we can and should do together when it comes to securing the Strait of Hormuz, in making sure that Iran doesn't develop nuclear weapons, in terms of investing in our capability and NATO's capability."
Streeting also offered his read on Trump's personal style, describing the president as straightforward. "He's a straight talker. He says what he means and means what he says," he said. He added that while he has not met Trump personally, he trusts the United States as an institution.
Trump has long pushed European NATO members to spend more on defense, arguing that allies have relied too heavily on the United States to carry the alliance's security burden. At a NATO summit in Turkey this month, Trump pressed allies to follow through on commitments to increase spending.
Streeting took office during a moment of active military tension involving both the U.S. and Iran, and his first week included direct contact with his American counterpart on those issues. His public comments on Sunday marked the new UK government's clearest statement yet on where it stands relative to American policy in the Middle East.
