The Royal Navy is currently relying on a German frigate due to a shortage of ships, amidst comments from Donald Trump criticizing Britain’s aircraft carriers as mere “toys.”

Initially, the destroyer HMS Dragon was set to spearhead a NATO mission in the North Atlantic. However, it was redirected to Cyprus earlier this month following tensions arising from the Iran conflict.

Consequently, the Navy will now lead the NATO mission utilizing the German frigate FGS Sachsen.

This development coincides with the US President’s recent remarks belittling the UK’s military capabilities, stating that British aircraft carriers “aren’t the best” and comparing them unfavorably to American forces.

In response, former military leaders have strongly criticized the Government, calling it a “bloody disgrace.” Meanwhile, a Royal Marine veteran from World War II expressed frustration, suggesting that Winston Churchill would have dismissed the current leadership.

The criticism comes just weeks after the UK was bailed out by France, Greece and Italy when an Iranian drone hit RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus and not a single British ship was in position to defend it.

It took nearly a month for HMS Dragon to reach the Mediterranean island, igniting calls from Cypriots to remove British bases from their country. 

Now the farce has deepened with the deployment exposing how short the UK’s defensive capabilities are.

The Royal Navy has been forced to borrow a German frigate after ‘running out of ships’ – as Donald Trump (pictured on February 28) mocked Britain’s aircraft carriers as ‘toys’

The destroyer HMS Dragon (pictured in March) was due to lead a Nato mission in the North Atlantic before it was redeployed to Cyprus earlier this month in the wake of the Iran conflict

As experts called on Labour to get a grip, Defence Secretary John Healey said he was ‘not happy with the situation’ as it ‘takes six years to build a warship’.

Yet despite repeated promises to boost defence spending, it also emerged yesterday that Nato has revised down UK defence spending in its annual report.

General Secretary Mark Rutte published figures that show the UK spent 2.31 per cent of GDP on defence last year, down from a predicted 2.4 per cent.

The report also revised down Britain’s spend for 2024 from an estimated 2.33 per cent of GDP to a final figure of 2.28 per cent.

UK military sources insist there has been no reduction and the drop is caused by changes to GDP, with other nations experiencing similar revisions.

But with anger mounting, former Nato commander General Sir Richard Shirreff told the Daily Mail the latest fiasco with FGS Sachsen ‘sends a bloody awful message’. 

He said: ‘It’s deeply embarrassing and it undermines the sense of what we should be doing as a nation. The Government needs to make sacrifices. We can’t go on ploughing money willy-nilly into welfare. 

‘Labour backbenchers have got to put up and shut up – and Keir Starmer needs to get a grip of his party.’

Royal Marine veteran Doug Cheshire, 102, who served on two battleships and an aircraft carrier in the Second World War, told the Daily Mail: ‘I think it’s a damn disgrace. They ought to be hauled over the coals for it. If Churchill was alive he would sack every one of them. He would be up in the air about the state of the Navy.

‘I’m angry. I’m very upset. After what we went through, for them to get us into this parlous state, to borrow from the Germans to do a job which we should be able to do – they need pinning against the wall for this.’

The German Embassy revealed this week that its frigate will ‘take over from HMS Dragon’ dressing it up as ‘an expression of the close Germany-British relationship’.

British sailors will use the ship to ‘fulfil its leadership role’, the Ministry of Defence confirmed. 

It insisted that it is not uncommon for a Nato group to be commanded from an allied warship and led by Royal Navy battle staff.

But Tory MP and former Army officer Ben Obese-Jecty said it demonstrates the UK has ‘seemingly run out of ships’ and ‘Britannia no longer rules the waves’.

Former First Sea Lord, Admiral Lord West, told the Daily Mail our Nato allies ‘are noticing that we are not the power we once were’.

He said: ‘The Royal Navy was the second most powerful navy in Nato and the most powerful European navy. 

‘You can’t really say that any more. Our American allies already are looking at us and saying, ‘Oh dear, this isn’t the British we’re used to’.’

The Defence Secretary was wheeled onto the airwaves yesterday to defend the latest fiasco. 

Mr Healey told LBC’s Nick Ferrari: ‘The Germans have stepped in to supply their warship… that’s a sign of the strength of the Nato alliance.

‘But I’m not happy with the situation we have with British warships and that’s because it takes six years to build a warship.’ 

But Mr Healey stumbled over his figures when asked how many frigates are at his disposal, wrongly stating: ‘We have 17 frigates and destroyers. It’s down from 23 at the end of the last Labour government.’

In fact, that figure is 13.

An MoD spokesman said: ‘The UK is one of the top defence spenders of all Nato nations and, as these figures show, our spending has increased by almost £9billion since 2023 – a significant real terms increase.

‘We are a leader in the alliance, committing our nuclear deterrent in full to Nato and offering almost all our Armed Forces to Nato on land, in the air and at sea. 

‘We are delivering the largest sustained increase in defence spending since the end of the Cold War and investing £270billion in defence across this Parliament alone.’

In a candid conversation on “The Five,” President Donald Trump expressed that his Make America Great Again base is firmly behind his assertive military stance on Iran. “MAGA loves the fact that they’re not going to have somebody with a nuclear bomb over their head,” Trump stated during the interview.

He emphasized the intelligence of his supporters, contrasting them with what he described as “weak or stupid or low-IQ people” who are indifferent to Iran potentially acquiring nuclear weapons. “The MAGA people are smart,” Trump affirmed, underscoring his confidence in their judgment.

Trump’s comments came in response to a recent NBC News poll that showed overwhelming support among MAGA-aligned Republicans for the conflict, with 90% in favor and only 5% opposed. This strong backing highlights the alignment between Trump’s policies and the priorities of his core supporters.

During the show, Fox News host Greg Gutfeld pressed the president on how he is addressing the concerns of some MAGA voters as the military engagement in Iran nears its one-month anniversary. The ongoing situation has raised questions about the long-term strategy and impact of the campaign, but Trump’s remarks suggest he remains confident in his approach and the support of his base.

Fox News host Greg Gutfeld pressed Trump on how he is addressing concerns among some MAGA voters as his war on Iran approaches the one-month mark.

“Let’s say they voted for you on the assumption of no wars, and then this happens, and it’s inconsistent with their wishes. What would you say to them?” Gutfeld asked.

“You can’t let a madman, or you can’t let a mad ideology have a nuclear weapon,” he responded.

Trump argued US strikes on Iran were necessary to prove American military strength and to help the broader world.

“In order to keep our country great, I said, ‘We’re going to take a fairly short detour. We’re going to show everybody that there’s nobody even coming close to us militarily — nobody even comes close. We have the greatest weapons. We have the strongest military,’” he said.

According to an NBC poll, which was analyzed most notably by CNN, 54% of Republicans who do not identify as MAGA support strikes against Iran, while roughly 36% oppose them, underscoring dissension about Trump’s war stance from different corners of the GOP.

“I think MAGA’s almost the whole Republican Party, you want to know the truth,” he said. “Almost every single person that I endorse wins.”

The president reiterated that MAGA supporters back his foreign policy agenda, saying his popularity is higher than ever.

“I think I’m more popular than I ever have been. Look, when he heard 100%, he said, ‘I’ve never seen a poll like this. This is the craziest poll I’ve ever seen.’ It was 100% of the people.

“And the reason is, they like that I’m protecting our country from lunatics with a nuclear weapon.”

The House’s aviation safety bill has undergone revisions and now enjoys the endorsement of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). However, the majority of the families of the 67 victims from last year’s tragic midair collision near Washington, D.C. remain firm in their demand for more stringent measures to ensure comprehensive reform.

The NTSB has confirmed that the updated Alert Act now includes its long-standing recommendation to mandate critical locator systems for all aircraft operating near busy airports. These systems are designed to provide pilots with precise information about surrounding air traffic. This recommendation has been a priority for the NTSB since 2008.

Despite these developments, the victims’ families expressed cautious optimism. On Thursday, they acknowledged the bill’s improvements but withheld full support. Their main concern is the absence of strict timelines for implementation, akin to those in the Senate bill, which narrowly failed to pass by a single vote.

“Safety requirements that depend on negotiated processes, administrative discretion, or multi-step rulemaking introduce delays that could cost lives,” the families stated. “The most effective version of this bill will establish clear statutory timelines and performance standards, ensuring that procedural hurdles do not impede progress.”

On Thursday, two pivotal House committees unanimously approved the revised bill, clearing the path for a full House vote. Following this, representatives and senators must collaborate to refine the bill before it is presented to the Senate for a final vote.

Senators Ted Cruz and Maria Cantwell, who crafted the Senate bill, also echoed the families’ concern that the Alert act still doesn’t include an ironclad requirement for the locator system that the NTSB said would have prevented the D.C. crash to be effective.

The Texas Republican and Washington Democrat said in a joint statement that any legislation will need the strongest standard for those systems to pass the Senate.

NTSB Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy sharply criticized the original version of the bill last month as a “watered down” measure that wouldn’t do enough to prevent future tragedies. But the board said in a statement that the revised version, which was drafted with input from experts at the agency that investigates crashes, would address the shortcomings their investigation identified.

The NTSB said this week that the bill would now require the Federal Aviation Administration, Transportation Department and the military to take actions that would address their recommendations.

The bill will now require planes to have Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast In systems that can receive data about the locations of other aircraft that would have alerted the pilots of an American Airlines jet sooner about the impending collision with an Army Black Hawk helicopter on Jan. 29, 2025. Most planes already have the ADS-B Out systems that broadcast their locations.

The NTSB cited systemic weaknesses and years of ignored warnings as the main causes of the crash, but Homendy has said that if both the plane and the Black Hawk had been equipped with ADS-B In and the systems had been turned on, the collision would have been prevented. The Army’s policy at the time of the crash mandated that its helicopters fly without that system on to conceal their locations, although the helicopter involved in this crash was on a training flight, not a sensitive mission.

A number of key industry groups, including the Airlines for America trade group and the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, have backed the House bill.

The Walt Disney Company emerged as a prominent winner at this year’s Gracie Awards, an event dedicated to celebrating the achievements of women in media. Organized by the Alliance for Women in Media Foundation (AWMF), the awards recognize women who are “telling the truth and making it impossible to look away,” according to the foundation’s announcement.

“Women’s stories not only mirror the world but also shape and transform it, refusing to let it remain unchanged,” stated Becky Brooks, president of AWMF. “This year’s awardees are accomplishing this feat across diverse platforms, formats, and audiences. We are proud, inspired, and honored to celebrate their contributions.”

Disney’s impressive array of awards covers various segments of its company, including ABC News, Hulu, ESPN, National Geographic, and Disney Branded Television. A standout accolade was a Grand Award presented to ABC News Studios and Hulu for their documentary “Barbara Walters: Tell Me Everything.”

In the scripted and competition categories, Hulu’s “Paradise” clinched the top drama title, while “Dancing with the Stars” was recognized as the leading competition series. Disney Branded Television also secured wins, with “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place” taking the family series award, “Harlem Ice” honored as a sports documentary series, and “The Lion King at the Hollywood Bowl” receiving acclaim. Additionally, “The Simpsons” earned a win for its animated comedy episode “Aunt Misbehavin’.”

ABC News’s “Nightline” was celebrated as the best news program, and “20/20” was recognized as the top news magazine, with Deborah Roberts receiving accolades for her role as the audio podcast host for “20/20: After Show.” In the realm of sports, ESPN’s Jenn Hildreth was distinguished for her on-air talent, while Kristen Lappas received the best director award for her work on the series “The Kingdom.”

The company’s documentary and scripted content also performed well, with National Geographic’s “Sally” winning for documentary and “Cleopatra’s Final Secret” recognized for historical documentary. Within the streaming ranks, Hulu’s Sharon Horgan won best supporting actress for “The Twisted Tale of Amanda Knox” and Quiana Burns was named top non-fiction showrunner for “The Tamron Hall Show.”

Local and student winners, including WABC’s Sam Ryan and the team behind ABC7 KGO-TV’s “A Mother’s Hope,” will be recognized later this summer at the Gracie Awards Luncheon.

The celebration will continue at the Gracie Awards Gala on Tuesday, May 19, at the Beverly Wilshire in Beverly Hills. National winners will be honored at the Gala alongside fellow 2026 recipients including Oprah Winfrey, Abby Phillip and Sarah Snook.

The Walt Disney Company is the parent company of Disney and this ABC station.

A seasoned law enforcement professional is casting doubt on the handling of the investigation into 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance, following unsettling revelations from her daughter about the circumstances surrounding the night her mother went missing.

These concerns have surfaced after an emotional, three-part interview where “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie spoke for the first time since her mother’s disappearance. She recounted evidence of a potential struggle, initial suspicions of an abduction, and her conviction that the ransom notes the family received were genuine.

Randy Sutton, a retired police lieutenant from Las Vegas who has been actively involved in the Tucson investigation from its early stages, discussed with Fox News Digital how these revelations and their initial handling might have significantly altered the direction of the case.

According to a source speaking to Fox News Digital, images of the suspect captured by Nancy Guthrie’s doorbell camera were taken on different occasions, potentially complicating the investigation. (FBI)

Guthrie says doors were propped open

Savannah Guthrie painted a disturbing picture of the scene inside her mother’s home, highlighting several factors that she believes point towards foul play.

She said doors were open, including one that had been “propped open,” there was blood on the front doorstep and the home’s Ring camera had been yanked off.

Sutton said the “propped open” door is a critical detail.

“That’s an interesting piece of evidence that we had not heard before,” he said, noting there has been no public indication of forced entry.

A tent was placed over the front entrance to Nancy Guthrie’s home in Tucson, Ariz., Feb. 12, 2026.  (Kat Ramirez for Fox News Digital)

He emphasized that investigators are dealing with multiple areas within the home, including entry points, the bedroom and locations where blood was found, making it a complex case.

At the same time, Sutton pushed back on speculation that the scene itself may have been staged.

“The question is, was the scene staged? … I don’t believe there’s anything that points to the scene being staged,” he said.

An undated photo of Nancy Guthrie provided by NBC in response to the disappearance of the 84-year-old mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie. (Courtesy of NBC)

Guthrie vanished in her pajamas with no shoes or medicine

Savannah Guthrie said her mother disappeared in her pajamas with no shoes and without her medication.

“It’s how is it possible that we are having to make video speaking to a kidnapper who took an 84-year-old woman,” she said. “In the dead of night. In her pajamas, with no shoes, without her medicine. This little person. And to beg for mercy.”

Sutton downplayed speculation about Nancy Guthrie not taking her evening medication.

“People don’t take their medication all the time. … I don’t think that’s a big issue,” Sutton said.

Guthrie also emphasized her mother’s physical condition, saying Nancy Guthrie was in significant pain and had very limited mobility — able to walk to the mailbox on a good day but often unable to do even that.

Family believes Guthrie was kidnapped for ransom

The family’s immediate reaction was to suspect a kidnapping for ransom.

“Even on the phone. When I called him, he knew. And he said, ‘I think she’s been kidnapped for ransom,’” Savannah Guthrie said.

From the outset, the family feared her disappearance was not random but a targeted abduction.

Sutton said that reaction is understandable given the circumstances.

“It’s not something outside the realm of possibility,” he said, adding there is no single “typical” kidnapping scenario.

Guthrie described the emotional toll of what followed, including the family’s decision to record a video appeal directed at a possible abductor.

Savannah Guthrie visits the “Today” show at Rockefeller Plaza in New York March 5, 2026. (Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

Family believes ransom notes are real

Savannah Guthrie also said she believes ransom notes sent to the family may be legitimate.

“I believe the two notes that we received that we responded to — I tend to believe those are real,” she said.

This image released by the FBI shows an armed individual who appears to have a light emitting from his mouth at Nancy Guthrie’s front door the morning of her disappearance in Tucson, Ariz., Feb. 1, 2026. (Provided by FBI)

Sutton, however, said aspects of the reported communications raise significant concerns.

“Kidnappings for ransom are very, very rare,” he said.

He noted that, in this case, the messages did not follow typical patterns.

“They didn’t go through the family. They went through media outlets. That is not the norm,” Sutton said.

He also pointed to a key missing element.

“The fact that there was no back-and-forth. … I question whether any of these ransom demands were real,” Sutton said.

Law enforcement canvassed Annie Guthrie’s neighborhood Feb. 5.  (Derek Shook/Fox News Digital)

Family faces ‘cruel speculation’

As “irresponsible and cruel speculation” has circulated, Savannah Guthrie said, she strongly defended her family against any suggestion of involvement.

“And no one took better care of my mom than my sister and brother-in-law. And no one protected my mom more than my brother,” she said. “And we love her, and she is our shining light. She’s our matriarch. She’s all we have.”

Sutton said while those statements are understandable, investigators cannot rule anyone out prematurely.

“In any crime of violence … there is no way you can eliminate the family from being suspects until there is a full investigation,” he said. “Law enforcement has to follow the evidence where it leads.”

Guthrie also signaled growing frustration with the investigation’s progress.

“But we need answers,” she said.

Police tape went up around Nancy Guthrie’s home in Arizona Feb. 4.  (Fox News Channel)

Sutton said frustration is warranted, pointing to what he described as critical missteps early in the case.

“This should have been locked down immediately,” he said, referring to the initial handling of the scene.

He added that those early decisions may have had lasting consequences.

“Now the damage has been done,” Sutton said. “They have to go back … and redo all of their investigative work to see if there are any stones left unturned.”

Sutton said one of the most striking aspects of Guthrie’s interview was the emotional weight she is carrying, particularly moments where she appeared to blame herself.

“The absolute pain and agony … it was palpable,” he said.

He noted that Guthrie expressing guilt stood out but emphasized that reaction is common in cases involving violent crime.

“When she was talking about whether she caused this … that reaction is more common than people think,” Sutton said.

The “Today” show said Savannah Guthrie, a longtime co-host of the morning news program, plans to return to the air at some point. (Charles Sykes/Invision/AP)

“She has absolutely nothing to feel guilty about.”

Still, he warned that those feelings can linger.

“This is something she will live with forever,” he said, adding that one of the most difficult realities for the family is the possibility they may never fully know what happened.

Nancy Guthrie’s disappearance remains unsolved, and her family continues to push for answers.

A reward of more than $1 million is being offered for information leading to her recovery.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit a tip to law enforcement.

Stepheny Price covers crime, including missing persons, homicides and migrant crime. Send story tips to stepheny.price@fox.com.