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Leaked comments by Britain’s ambassador to the US suggesting Washington has “a true special relationship” with Israel – not the United Kingdom – have sparked a political backlash in London.
Sir Christian Turner reportedly told a group of British students in early 2026 that the United States’ one true “special relationship” is “probably Israel,” not the United Kingdom, according to leaked audio first reported by the Financial Times.
The privately but publicly leaked comments made during King Charles III and Queen Camilla’s high-profile visit to Washington and New York amid efforts to repair strained relations have drawn fresh scrutiny over Britain’s position in Washington at a particularly sensitive diplomatic moment.
Turner reportedly stressed that Britain’s relationship with the US is deeply intertwined, particularly on defense and security.
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“We have a deep history and commonality. Especially on defense and security, we are connected to each other.” According to leaked audio cited by British media. “The relationship will continue to be ‘special’ if you want, but I think it will be different.”
President Donald Trump meets with Britain’s King Charles III in the Oval Office of the White House during a state visit on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. British Ambassador to the US Christian Turner, Secretary of State Yvette Cooper, Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio were also present. (Alex Brandon/AP)
According to the transcript, Turner also said Britain and Europe should “work to redefine” their relationship with Washington, particularly on defense, rather than relying on the US security umbrella.
The leak follows recent tensions between Trump and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, including disagreements over Britain’s stance toward US-Israeli military action against Iran. Trump had previously publicly criticized Starmer, saying he was “no Winston Churchill.”
An embassy spokesperson and a UK Foreign Office spokesperson sought to distance the government from the leaked comments, telling Fox News Digital: “These were private, informal comments made to a group of UK sixth form students visiting the US in early February. They are certainly no reflection of the UK government’s position.”
He explained that the largely informal discussion focused on diplomacy and the political issues of the day, about which students asked questions, emphasizing that the comments were clearly never intended as an on-the-record statement of government policy.
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President Donald Trump speaks with Britain’s King Charles III during a state dinner in the East Room of the White House on April 28, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Aaron Schwartz/AFP)
Nevertheless, the controversy raises broader questions that go beyond diplomatic optics: whether the symbolic “special relationship” between Washington and London is eclipsed by immediate US strategic priorities, particularly Israel’s central role in the US Middle East security calculus.
Barack Seiner, senior fellow at the London-based Henry Jackson Society, said Turner’s comments reflected a difficult strategic reality rather than a diplomatic blunder.
“Ambassador Christian Turner was giving a realistic assessment, echoing President Trump’s criticism of NATO, in which he called it a ‘paper tiger’ for not contributing to joint U.S.-Israeli-led operations against Iran,” Seiner told Fox News Digital.
Seiner points to his recent report, “Israel 2048: A Blueprint for an Asymmetric Geopolitical Power,” to argue that Israel’s growing military capabilities are increasingly acting as a force multiplier for U.S. regional interests. On the contrary, Seiner argued, Britain’s modern strategic value has weakened despite the historical rhetoric.
“King Charles was forced to emphasize Britain and America’s shared culture and history rather than recent military contributions in his recent speech to the US Congress because Britain’s naval and military capabilities have been completely hollowed out,” Seiner said.
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King Charles made history as the second British monarch to address Congress, after his mother, the late Queen Elizabeth, first did so in 1991. (Henry Nicholls/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)
He said that Charles’s call for joint sacrifices of the past “holds no relevance for today” because Britain has reportedly refused to allow American use of the RAF (The Royal Air Force). Basis for attack on Iran.
However, the White House insisted on continuity over the dispute, telling Fox News Digital that, “President Trump has enjoyed welcoming their dignitaries to the White House this week, including yesterday morning, when he highlighted the historic, special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom,” White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said.
“The events of this visit are unprecedented in scale and grandeur and the President enjoyed hosting a beautiful state dinner last evening,” he said.
