The difference, of course, is that the US actually has extraterritorial power. The idea that you would compare the UK's perception of their power to the US's perception of its power seems to be the kind of mistake the person you're replying to is referring to.

Standing next the the US when it does things (or rather to the left and two steps behind the US) is not being like the US.

https://youtu.be/lJatJ-Hi2_s?t=66

more recent: https://youtu.be/Hyn_VHtSU48?t=35