September 15, 2026

Good morning! Today is Tuesday, September 15th 2026, and this is The American Conservative's Morning Brief. President Trump's recent broadsides against British sovereignty over the Falklands and Northern Ireland have alienated even his staunchest allies on the British right, with Nigel Farage, Kemi Badenoch, and Rupert Lowe all publicly breaking with him. Charlie Nash argues there is a profound irony in a supposedly nationalist administration failing to understand the nationalism of its closest ally, risking permanent damage to a partnership no transactional alliance can replace. On day 199 of the Iran War, Trump floated a permanent American claim on Iranian oil while signaling openness to negotiations, as Brent crude opened at 108 dollars a barrel and diesel hit a record 6 dollars and 23 cents per gallon. and now for the details. We begin this morning across the Atlantic, where the special relationship between Britain and the United States is under significant strain. In recent weeks, President Trump has issued a series of statements that have alienated even his staunchest British allies. The president suggested the United States would not necessarily come to Britain's aid should Argentina again move on the Falkland Islands, a remark that emboldened Argentine President Javier Milei to escalate Buenos Aires's sovereignty campaign and threaten sanctions against companies operating in the islands. Days later, Trump said he would like to see Northern Ireland severed from the United Kingdom and unified with the Republic of Ireland, calling it something that would be, in his words, a great feather in everybody's cap. The response from Britain's right was swift. Restore Britain leader Rupert Lowe called the remarks unacceptable and insulting. Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch declared the Falklands British regardless of what Trump says. Reform UK's Nigel Farage, who campaigned onstage for Trump in both 2016 and 2020, publicly broke with the president, saying the people of Northern Ireland neither want a referendum nor unification. Tensions rose further after reports that the Trump administration used U.S. Marines to remove an alleged pedophile diplomat from the London embassy, and news that Washington plans to sell Black Hawk helicopters to Argentina. As Charlie Nash writes in The American Conservative, there is a profound irony in a supposedly nationalist administration failing to understand the nationalism of its closest ally. Nash argues that just as Britain is rediscovering the importance of national sovereignty, the Trump administration risks permanent damage to a partnership that no transactional alliance can replace, a relationship rooted in shared institutions, language, military tradition, and cultural inheritance. Turning to the Iran War, now in its 199th day. President Trump told reporters during his visit to Ireland on Sunday that the United States would consider a permanent interest in Iran's oil industry. In his words, we'll ultimately get out unless we decide to stay and keep the oil, like Venezuela. The president again predicted the war would wind down after the American midterm elections, at which point, he said, oil prices would come tumbling down. Trump also reiterated that he would not intervene in the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Yemen's Houthis, who made significant territorial gains against the internationally recognized Yemeni government last week, increasing their ability to threaten Red Sea shipping. On Tuesday morning, Trump said in a social media post that he was open to the concept of negotiating with what he called the failing Nation of Iran. Meanwhile, a planned meeting on the future of the Strait of Hormuz between the Gulf nations and Iran was postponed. Jude Russo reports that Brent crude opened Monday at 108 dollars per barrel, with AAA reporting a national average of 4 dollars and 32 cents for regular gasoline, and a new all-time record of 6 dollars and 23 cents per gallon of diesel. Those are today's highlights. For the full stories and more, visit theamericanconservative.com. Thank you for starting your morning with us.