Argentina's President Javier Milei has sharpened his threat to sanction oil companies operating near the Falkland Islands, using a televised address to declare the islands "Argentinean" and dismiss islanders' right to self-determination as "invalid". The escalation comes as Donald Trump has signalled the US may be reviewing its traditionally neutral stance on the sovereignty dispute, with the US president suggesting he might not back Britain in a renewed conflict — a shift Milei is now openly courting as evidence of American backing for Argentina's claim.

Milei singled out the Sea Lion oilfield, a joint venture between British and Israeli firms with production due to start in 2028, calling it a "clear and present danger" that Argentina must act against "within a few months". He also announced plans for a new naval base in Tierra del Fuego and claimed Washington now views Argentina as a "reliable partner". Trump, in a GB News interview, said Britain "wasn't there to help" the US over Iran and that the Falklands were "a long way away", though he praised the UK's conduct in 1982. Downing Street reiterated that its position on sovereignty is "long-standing and unwavering" and that islanders have repeatedly chosen to remain British.