British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Friday that U.S. President Donald Trump should apologize for wrongly suggesting that NATO troops from countries other than the United States avoided frontline combat during the war in Afghanistan, calling the remarks “insulting” and “deeply appalling.”
Trump’s suggestion that he doubted whether NATO’s other 31 members would support the U.S. if asked sparked anger across the United Kingdom, cutting across political divisions. In an interview in Davos, Trump claimed that while allies sent troops to Afghanistan, they remained largely away from the front lines.
Those comments conflict with the history of the war, which began in October 2001 after the Sept. 11 attacks, when the U.S. led a broad international coalition to dismantle al-Qaida and oust the Taliban. NATO’s collective defense clause was invoked for the first time, and forces from dozens of allied nations fought alongside American troops.
In Britain, the reaction was especially strong. Starmer honored the 457 British service members who were killed and those left with lifelong injuries, stressing that their bravery and sacrifice should never be diminished. He said Trump’s remarks had caused deep pain to the families of the fallen and to the nation as a whole.
Prince Harry also weighed in, saying the sacrifices made by British soldiers deserved to be discussed honestly and respectfully. Drawing on his own experience from two tours in Afghanistan, he noted that countless families were permanently affected, with parents burying children and children losing parents.
Following the 9/11 attacks, then–Prime Minister Tony Blair pledged that the UK would stand “shoulder to shoulder” with the United States. British forces played a major role throughout the conflict, particularly in Helmand Province, remaining in combat operations until 2014 and later in support roles until the chaotic withdrawal in 2021. More than 150,000 British troops served in Afghanistan, making the UK the largest contributor after the U.S.
Ben Obese-Jecty, a British lawmaker and former army captain who served in Afghanistan, said it was disheartening to see the sacrifices of British and other NATO forces dismissed by the U.S. president.
Criticism was intensified by Trump’s lack of military service during the Vietnam War era, when he received a deferment for bone spurs—fueling accusations of draft avoidance. Commentators called it ironic that such remarks came from someone who did not serve.
Trump’s comments are part of a broader pattern of criticizing NATO allies in recent days, particularly as he escalated rhetoric over Greenland, a Danish territory. His claims stand in contrast to NATO’s record, including the invocation of Article 5 after 9/11, which obligated all member states to come to the U.S.’s defense.
Denmark, one of America’s closest allies in Afghanistan, lost 44 soldiers there—the highest per capita toll among coalition forces—underscoring the cost paid by smaller nations.
The controversy follows a week of strained transatlantic relations, marked by Trump’s threats toward Greenland and proposed tariffs against European countries. While Trump later softened his stance after talks with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, relations have already been affected.
For families of British veterans, the remarks cut deeply. Diane Dernie, whose son was severely injured by a land mine in Afghanistan, described Trump’s comments as “the ultimate insult” and urged Starmer to confront him directly.
Responding to her concerns, Starmer said that if he had made such remarks himself, he would have issued an apology, signaling that Trump should do the same.
