It considers British claims to be pure colonialism and claims that the islands historically belong to it. The catch is, however, that Britain managed to defeat the junta mainly in the USA. This fact is used by Trump, who could potentially stop supporting the Falklands as a British territory and thus help Argentina.
Back in 2002, the then US Assistant Secretary of Defense told the BBC that “the British would probably have lost the war without US support”. In doing so, he explained how essential American aid was.
The dispute was never really fully resolved. Today, the Falklands are under the administration of the United Kingdom, but they are also on the UN list of territories that do not have full self-government. In practice, this means that it is not an independent state, and their defense and foreign policy are managed by London. Although the inhabitants of the islands manage their daily lives themselves, Britain still has the final say.
This is where the stories of both countries diverge. For the British, it is a legitimate territory whose inhabitants repeatedly claim a British identity. For Argentina, it is an open wound, a symbol of a past in which the great powers made decisions regardless of others. Each successive generation of politicians in Buenos Aires revives the dispute because it is a matter of national pride.
Silence in Downing Street
While the British media have been taking the Pentagon email seriously in recent days and discussing it from serious media outlets to the Sun tabloids, the British elite have been silent. However, according to BBC sources, the government has quietly met and addressed these serious motives of Donald Trump.
By all accounts, it is more of a strategy not to make the situation worse, especially when the relationship between British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Trump has been strained since the start of the war in Iran. Even if the politicians are silent, other voices are being heard in Britain. Especially the war veterans who called Trump a bully.
The British government knows that starting to openly criticize Trump can escalate the situation and stir up even greater passions in British society, which sees the Falklands as a patriotic symbol of Great Britain.
However, the government is apparently also preparing the British King Charles, who is to visit the USA this week and meet with Trump. And apparently they will open this topic as well.
The king can soften Trump
Visit of King Charles III. it comes at the most sensitive moment possible. In recent hours, he even considered canceling it, especially after Sunday’s shooting at the Hilton Hotel, which targeted Trump and his administration. However, Trump assured him that the visit would be “completely safe” and under maximum protection.
The purpose of the visit is clear. To soften Trump and calm relations that have been gradually deteriorating since the start of the war in Iran. At the same time, Karol is to give a speech in Congress, which will be watched by the whole world. But that’s where the risk lies. Any, even indirect criticism of Trump can be perceived as an attack.
A few sentences are enough and a diplomatic visit can turn into an open conflict. And that would further worsen the already tense situation around the Falklands.
The Malvinas are not a thing of the past. They are the plan
Argentina enters the game for the Falklands again in full force. Its president, the populist right-wing radical Javier Milei and at the same time an ally of Donald Trump, moves the dispute from the historical plane back to today’s politics. “The Malvinas were, are and always will be Argentine,” .
These are not just symbolic statements. Milei openly says that Argentina is doing “everything humanly possible” to get the islands back. According to him, sovereignty is non-negotiable. This time, however, it is not an isolated statement for domestic voters. It comes at a time when the attitude of the United States is also shaking.
And that changes the rules of the game. If Washington really began to question its long-standing support for London, Argentina would not be playing from a completely disadvantageous position for the first time in decades. What has been a closed topic for years is suddenly back on the table.
For Buenos Aires, it is not just a territorial dispute. It is a question of identity and long-term political capital. He sees British claims as a colonial legacy that has never been legitimately concluded. And Milei takes full advantage of this sentiment.
