In just a matter of weeks, US President Donald Trump has once again upended global diplomacy, rewriting geopolitical norms in a manner that has left both allies and adversaries scrambling. His latest move-the proposal for the United States to take over Gaza-has sparked outrage and alarm among those who understand the gravity of such a suggestion. Coming on the heels of his incendiary remarks about “cleaning up” Gaza, Trump’s statements represent a fundamental challenge to the principles of international law and the very notion of Palestinian sovereignty.

Few nations have found themselves more uncomfortably wedged in this evolving crisis than the United Kingdom. Historically obsessed with its so-called “special relationship” with Washington, the UK now finds itself in an unenviable position. If the “special relationship” means anything, it is perhaps best illustrated by the beaming image of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu standing triumphantly alongside Trump as the latter floated what amounts to ethnic cleansing. That is the real price of being in Trump’s inner circle.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer is now confronted with a serious test of both his leadership and his moral compass. He is not part of Trump’s inner circle, and his relationship with the US president remains tentative at best. Their first conversation following Trump’s return to the Oval Office did not occur until a full week after his inauguration-a stark contrast to the immediate engagement other world leaders received. While Trump has described their relationship as “very good,” skepticism remains, particularly given the deluge of social media attacks against Starmer and his government from Trump ally Elon Musk.........

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