Rubio dismisses Falklands row as 'just an email'

 Marco Rubio dismissed the Falklands row as “just an email”, downplaying the chances of the US backing Argentine claims to the islands.

The US’s top diplomat told The Telegraph that the diplomatic crisis triggered by a leaked memo was overblown.

The cable, thought to have been drafted by a junior staffer, claimed that the United States could pull its support from the Falklands as punishment for failing to back the war in Iran.

“It was just an email. People are getting overexcited by an email. It was just an email with some ideas,” the secretary of state told The Telegraph before the King’s visit.

It is understood that Yvette Cooper, the Foreign Secretary, raised the issue with Mr Rubio during a meeting in Washington on Wednesday.

It is not known whether the monarch, who remains sovereign of the islands, raised the issue directly with Donald Trump during his trip to the White House.

The Telegraph can also reveal that Javier Milei, the Argentine president, has shelved plans to meet Sir Keir Starmer in Britain.

The decision was made before the Falklands memo was leaked, a source told The Telegraph. Mr Milei had planned to visit in April, but his office cited scheduling issues for the change.

Relations have been tested in the week since the memo was leaked on Friday, leading to calls among high-ranking Argentine officials for Falklands Islanders to “go back to England”.

The email states that one option for punishing allies who did not back the American-Israeli war in the Middle East would be to reassess diplomatic support for long-standing European “imperial possessions”, such as the Falklands.

Another policy option for punishing allies reluctant to back the war in the Middle East would be to suspend “difficult” ones – mainly Spain – from obtaining important jobs or roles within Nato.

Madrid has been Europe’s most vocal opponent to Mr Trump’s war in Iran, and has repeatedly denied American forces the use of its bases or overflight rights – known as ABO.

Mr Trump has repeatedly engaged in scathing criticism of many of the Nato members for not assisting in the war, including berating Britain for not sending its navy to help open the Strait of Hormuz.

However Mr Rubio’s comments downplay the prospect of the United States backing Argentina’s claim to the islands.

Islanders and Sir Keir condemned the move, while war veterans accused the US president of “bullying”.

Sir Keir has clashed with Mr Trump ever since he denied use of Diego Garcia, the military base in the Chagos Islands, to carry out initial strikes on Iran. He hit back at the Trump administration shortly after leaked emails suggested that the US position was under review.

Mr Milei, Argentina’s president and a close ally of Mr Trump, said on Friday that “the Malvinas were, are and will always be Argentine”.

On Monday, Victoria Villarruel, his deputy, said that Falklanders should go back to England.

“The discussion over the sovereignty of our islands is between states, therefore the United Kingdom must discuss bilaterally with Argentina the claim that we maintain for legal, historical and geographical reasons.

“The Kelpers are English people who live in Argentine territory; they are not part of the discussion. If they feel English, they should go back to the thousands of miles away where their country is.”

American and British sources remain sceptical of the proposal and point out that Washington’s official position of neutrality remains the same. They say that the memo was not a formal proposal from the administration.

A US state department spokesman said on Thursday:  “Our position on the islands remains one of neutrality. We acknowledge that there are conflicting claims of sovereignty between Argentina and the UK.

“We recognize de facto United Kingdom administration of the islands but take no position regarding sovereignty claims of either party.”