Donald Trump has fired a diplomatic warning shot across the Atlantic, telling British Prime Minister Keir Starmer that getting into bed with Beijing is a "very dangerous" game. The intervention comes just hours after Starmer was feted in the Great Hall of the People, hailing a new era of "sophisticated" relations with President Xi Jinping.

Speaking from Washington, the US President did not hide his disdain for the UK’s pivot. "It’s very dangerous for them to do that," Trump told reporters, casting a long shadow over Starmer’s trade mission. The comments expose a widening rift in the Special Relationship, as the UK seeks economic lifelines in the East while the US doubles down on containment.

A Clash of Worldviews

Starmer’s trip to China—the first by a British PM in eight years—was meant to be a victory lap for British trade, securing lower tariffs for whisky and visa-free travel. Instead, it has become a diplomatic tightrope walk. By cozying up to Xi, Starmer is risking the ire of a protectionist White House that views China not as a partner, but as an existential threat.

"You can’t look at China as the answer," Trump added, throwing Canada’s Justin Trudeau into the mix for good measure. [...](asc_slot://start-slot-7)"They are doing very poorly." The message is unmistakable: you are either with us, or you are with them.

• The Trade-Off: The UK is desperate for growth and sees China’s vast market as a necessity. Trump sees this as a betrayal of Western economic security.
• The Downing Street Nerves: British officials insist they informed the US of the trip, but Trump’s public rebuke suggests he was not impressed by the courtesy call.

The Atlantic Divide

As Starmer heads to Shanghai to court investors, the words from Washington will be ringing in his ears. The UK is trying to have its cake and eat it too—keeping security ties with the US while deepening economic ties with China.

But in the zero-sum world of Donald Trump, neutrality is not an option. The Prime Minister may have secured a deal in Beijing, but the real cost may be paid in Washington.