The Pentagon sent a signal to Argentina - and London responded before everyone had a chance to grasp the message. According to sources, discussions had taken place within the American defence establishment about withdrawing diplomatic support for Britain over the Falkland Islands - in the context of broader tensions around Iran. The message was clear: if London doesn't cooperate, Washington could look the other way when Buenos Aires raises the Malvinas question.

The British response was almost immediate. Prime Minister Keir Starmer's spokesman made it plain: sovereignty over the Falklands is a matter of British national interest, and the right to self-determination of the islanders is non-negotiable. No concession. No ambiguity.

Argentina, naturally, didn't miss the moment. Their foreign minister Pablo Quirno confirmed that Buenos Aires is open to bilateral negotiations. Peaceful resolution - classic diplomatic language for a demand that, translated, means: give us the islands back.

The history of the Falklands is short and bloody - 1982, armed conflict, 650 Argentine and 255 British dead, Argentina's capitulation. Since then the question has been technically frozen, but politically it never disappeared. The Trump administration apparently knows this well - and clearly has no hesitation about using it as leverage whenever needed.

Would Washington actually abandon its key ally in favour of Argentina? Probably not. But the threat itself - even when it's just a bluff - says a great deal about what kind of friendship Trump considers acceptable.