Former U.S. President Donald Trump has urged the United Kingdom to adopt far tougher immigration measures, claiming that failure to rapidly deport undocumented migrants would lead to what he described as the loss of the country’s identity and security. In a wide-ranging interview with GB News, Trump promoted his own border policies as a model for Britain, while also continuing his public dispute with the BBC over an edited broadcast of his January 6, 2021 speech.
During the interview, Trump argued that Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government should be deploying the military to address small boat crossings in the English Channel, asserting that the UK should handle the issue “identically” to the way the U.S. has under his administration. He repeated his claim that illegal entries into the United States have dropped to “zero” in recent months, though official data shows that irregular migration, while significantly reduced, has not been eliminated.
Trump Pushes for Immediate Deportations and Military Backing
Trump insisted that the UK “take [migrants] back immediately,” calling immigration “more important than inflation.” He claimed U.S. border successes stemmed partly from the involvement of the military as a backup to federal enforcement agencies.
“We don’t play games with our military,” he said, adding that the UK’s geography gives it an advantage due to the natural barrier of the surrounding sea—despite record small boat arrivals across the Channel in recent years.
Statistics released last month show that approximately 493,000 migrants have been deported since Trump re-entered office, while 1.6 million more have reportedly departed voluntarily. Monthly irregular crossings are at their lowest level since the 1970s, but still not at zero, according to internal U.S. enforcement figures.
Tensions Over Immigration Policy Rise in UK Politics
The Labour government has already signaled its intention to tighten the UK’s immigration system, though not to the degree Trump is advocating. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is preparing new proposals inspired partly by Denmark’s stricter model, including revised human rights legislation to speed up removals of individuals who arrive illegally by small boat.
As of Thursday, 39,075 people had crossed the Channel irregularly this year—far higher than the levels seen a decade ago and a persistent political challenge for the UK government.
Trump Renews Threat to Sue BBC Over Panorama Edit
The former president also used the interview to escalate his threat to sue the BBC, saying he may seek damages between $1 billion and $5 billion over the edited footage of his January 6 speech used in a Panorama documentary.
“This was so egregious,” he told presenter Bev Turner. “If you don’t stop it, it keeps happening.”
The BBC has acknowledged that the edit was a serious error of judgment and has issued a personal apology to Trump, but the broadcaster maintains that there is no basis for a defamation claim and has declined to pay compensation. The controversy has already prompted the resignations of Director General Tim Davie and BBC News chief Deborah Turness.
Broader Concerns About Immigration in Europe
Trump also criticized Europe more broadly, claiming mass migration has changed the character of the continent. “Europe is not the same place,” he said, arguing that a combination of immigration pressures and high taxation had eroded stability in many nations.
As Trump continues to promote his immigration record internationally, his remarks are expected to fuel political debate in the UK—particularly as the Starmer government seeks to balance humanitarian obligations, public concern, and pressure to reduce Channel crossings ahead of upcoming legislative proposals.
Source:Africa Publicity
