YEARS ago, US comedian Jon Stewart made a joke about Canada which angered some Canadians and opened the eyes of others to the reality of the punchline.

As Stewart related: “I was visiting Canada and a nice Canadian gentleman came up to me and asked: ‘what do the people in the United States think of Canada?’ and I replied ‘We don’t.’”

Like it or not, accept it or not, that is the prevailing reality for many in the U.S. – and in the Congress of the US – when it comes to the “relationship” between the U.S. and the United Kingdom. 

Fewer and fewer Americans and fewer and fewer Members of Congress ever think about Britain or the United Kingdom.  Ever.

While that is a reality, I believe it’s a critical mistake for a number of important reasons. 

Britain is still a great nation and we do have much in common while sharing numerous strategic partnerships and national and economic security concerns. 

It is a friendship which must be nurtured, grown, and solidified.

That said, it certainly seems to some Republican Members of Congress and some powerful supporters of President-elect Donald J. Trump, that Prime Minister Keir Starmer and his Labour Party are uninterested in that mission. 

Worse, they filed away the fact that representatives from the Labour Party – with a strong “wink and a nod” from Starmer – flew into the United States during the presidential campaign between Trump and Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris to actively campaign on US soil for Harris while smearing Trump in the process.

Two possible explanations for that “British Invasion” of the US to support Harris being: “They were unable to read the room,” or “Arrogant, Self-destructive political hubris.” 

Trust me when I say Republicans and Trump supporters strongly view it as the latter.

 So, let’s call that “Strike One.”

Now, we have Starmer and his Party in open rhetorical warfare against President Trump’s now friend and uber-ally Elon Musk over the issue of the “Grooming Gang Horror” that has taken place in the United Kingdom for decades. 

Again, like it or not or agree with it or not, Republicans, powerful Trump supporters, tens of millions of Americans, and more and more members of our media who never gave one thought to Britain and the United Kingdom are suddenly seeing Starmer, his Party, and the UK through the eyes of Elon Musk. 

Many for the first time.

Multiple newspapers in the United States are now writing or editorializing on the “Grooming Gang” subject. 

All are taking the side of Musk in one way or the other.

I have had the great honor to advise former Presidents and senior Members of our Congress in the past. 

That said, my totally unsolicited advice to Prime Minister Starmer would be to “calm down, tone down the anti-Musk rhetoric, and read the US room correctly.”

Here in the US, Starmer, the Labour Party, and unfortunately, the United Kingdom itself, is badly losing the war of words with Musk. 

Worse than that, more and more Members of our Congress, the media, and the American people are becoming shocked and sickened as the facts of the “Grooming Gang Horror” seep into our nations and our consciousnesses via the posts from Musk.

‘STRIKE TWO’

Again, for far too many of these Members of Congress, Trump supporters, and American citizens, this story and the totally unconvincing defense by Starmer and his Party for the failure of the greater government to protect thousands of young girls and women from these heinous predators is morphing into an ugly betrayal of those victims.

Hardly the first impression Starmer and his Labour Party want to make upon Americans who now are paying attention to the UK for the very first time in years.

Call that “Strike Two.”

Starmer and his Party still have time to make this right.

They still have time to flip the narrative and remind Americans why the relationship between our nations is so critically important and must be grown and solidified.

But to do so, they must cast aside the hubris and cover-ups, speak out loudly in the defense of the victims of these horrific crimes, and then initiate a new and respectful dialog with incoming President Trump. 

One that does speak to our shared values and shared concerns.

  If not, “Strike three” looms on the horizon.

Douglas MacKinnon is a former White House and Pentagon official and author of the book: The 56 – Liberty Lessons from those who risked all to sign The Declaration of Independence.  Follow him @DougOfSkye.