'They are and will remain British': Government insists Falklands will remain UK overseas territory amid US threats to withdraw support
A US official suggested the Trump administration could change its position on UK sovereignty over the islands as Pentagon officials try to force allies to hit Nato's 5 per cent spending pledge
The government has insisted the Falklands will "remain British" after reports that US could oppose UK sovereignty of the islands.
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The Trump administration could make the bombshell declaration as senior defence officials at the Pentagon try to force allies to hit Nato's 5 per cent spending pledge.
A senior official in the US reportedly said that Britain will receive "special attention" from Washington in its attempts to get Nato up to the spending figure.
Asked by the Daily Telegraph if the US could change its position on the islands, a senior official responded that "nothing is being ruled out as far as options for encouraging the sort of burden-sharing that we seek".
The government has come out in defence of the islands, insisting that they will remain under British possession.
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A spokesperson for the UK government said: "The UK position on the Falkland Islands is long-standing and unwavering: they are and will remain a British Overseas Territory in line with the wishes of the Falkland islanders.
"The UK is playing a central role in NATO and strengthening collective defence across Europe.
"We are NATO's third largest cash spender on defence and the only European NATO member to commit our nuclear deterrent to the alliance."
The island's sovereignty has long been a contentious political issue - with Argentina maintaining that it should control the south Atlantic territory.
Britain and Argentina fought the 1982 Falklands War over the islands - with Argentina defeated but never dropping their claim.
The question of the island's future shot into view earlier this summer, when officials from the South American nation suggested that talks should be opened ahead of the World Cup semi-final between England and Argentina.
After Argentina won the match 2-0, their players then unfurled a banner reading "The Malvinas are Argentine".
The Malvinas are the name which Argentines used for the archipelago.
In 2013 Falklanders voted overwhelmingly in favour of remaining an overseas territory of the UK.
Of the 1,517 residents who voted, 1,513 were in favour and just three were opposed.