Trump Is No Ally Of Britain – He Is A Threat Like Putin, Says Zack Polanski
President Putin and President Trump meet for talks on Ukraine, August 2025 (Alamy Live News)
4 min read
Zack Polanski has declared that Donald Trump cannot be an ally of Britain, and the UK can no longer have a “special relationship” with the US, because its President is a “real threat” in the same mould as Vladimir Putin.
Speaking in the wake of strikes by the US and Israel on Iran that have killed Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei among others, the Green Party leader described Russia as “looking to advance its imperialism”, before adding: “I believe the same behaviour is coming from the United States.”
In an exclusive interview with The House magazine, Polanski said the UK must realise “what a threat Donald Trump is, how unpredictable he is, and ultimately the only thing he cares about is Donald Trump – and that's not someone that can be our ally, or we can be in a special relationship with”.
He argued that Britain should be working with European countries such as France, Spain and Germany – which “we have a more in common with” – and asking: “How do we rebuild this relationship so that we're looking out for each other more and recognising that the real threats in the country, the world right now, are both Vladimir Putin but frankly Donald Trump as well?”
Asked about the Iranian regime, Polanski said: “It doesn't even require that much nuance to be able to say that you can stand against an authoritarian regime and still oppose Donald Trump's interventionist approach, which I don't believe is going to be good for anyone.
“I'm particularly worried about the UK being dragged into another illegal war, because I don't think that makes us less makes us any safer. In fact, quite the opposite. I think it potentially makes us less safe as a country.”
Amid violent crackdowns by the Iranian authorities on protesters, which resulted in thousands of deaths, the UK announced further sanctions on Iran in January.
Polanski told The House he backed sanctions on Iran but said “they need to be handled very carefully”.
“They need to be designed very specifically to make sure that the people you're hitting with those sanctions are the people in power, are the people who hold wealth. And I know that's easier said than done, because often they will then punish the population.
“So, I think the first priority again has to be to de-escalate, to look to move towards peace and diplomacy.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer told MPs on Monday that the UK would not join “offensive” US and Israeli strikes but instead only participate in “defensive actions”, allowing the US to use British military bases for “limited and specific” strikes.
He said any UK action must have a "lawful basis and a viable thought-through plan" and that “we all remember the mistakes of Iraq and have learned those lessons”.
The US-Israeli air war against Iran has quickly widened across the Middle East, with Iran counter-strikes targeting Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Iraq and Jordan. There are estimated to be around 300,000 Brits in the region, with Starmer saying on Monday that the government was looking at "all options" to get them out.
“Iran has hit airports and hotels where British citizens are staying. It is deeply concerning for the whole house and the whole country,” Starmer added.
“I’ve been speaking to our Gulf partners over the weekend. They’re outraged by Iran’s acts, particularly as they played no part in any strikes, and they’ve asked us to do more to defend them. Moreover, it is my duty, the highest duty of my office, to protect British lives.”
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio warned on Monday that “the hardest hits are yet to come”, while President Trump did not rule out sending US troops to Iran “if necessary”.
"Right from the beginning, we projected four to five weeks, but we have capability to go far longer than that," Trump said of the conflict at the White House.
A YouGov poll published on Tuesday, carried out following the seismic Green victory in Gorton and Denton last week, put Polanski's party in second place, five per cent ahead of both Labour and the Conservatives.
The full interview with Zack Polanski will be published in the next edition of The House magazine and online next week.
