UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has strongly criticised President Donald Trump over comments suggesting NATO allies stayed away from frontline fighting in Afghanistan, describing the remarks as insulting and deeply hurtful.
Starmer reacted on Friday to an interview Trump granted Fox News, in which the US president appeared to downplay the role of allied forces in the Afghanistan war, despite the deaths of hundreds of NATO soldiers, including 457 British troops.
In a video message, the UK prime minister paid tribute to British service personnel who lost their lives or sustained life-changing injuries during the conflict, saying Trump’s comments were “appalling” and disrespectful to their sacrifice. He added that he would have apologised if he had made such a statement.
Trump’s remarks sparked widespread anger in Britain, cutting across party lines. The UK Defence Minister, John Healey, described fallen British soldiers as heroes, while Armed Forces Minister Al Carns, a veteran of multiple Afghanistan tours, dismissed the comments as “utterly ridiculous.”
Opposition Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the statement was “complete nonsense” capable of weakening NATO unity, while Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, a long-time Trump supporter, also rejected the claim, insisting British troops fought bravely alongside US forces for two decades.
Veterans’ groups and families of fallen soldiers also expressed outrage. The Royal British Legion said the service and sacrifice of British troops could not be questioned, while relatives of victims described the remarks as extremely upsetting.
International allies weighed in as well. Poland and France recalled the deaths of their soldiers in Afghanistan, stressing that their sacrifices deserved respect.
Prince Harry, who served two frontline tours in Afghanistan, said the conflict claimed lives, shattered families and left lasting scars that must be spoken of truthfully.
Official figures show more than 150,000 UK personnel served in Afghanistan between 2001 and 2021, making Britain the second-largest contributor to the US-led mission. The US lost over 2,400 soldiers during the conflict.
The White House defended Trump, insisting the United States had done more for NATO than any other member. However, critics across Europe say the remarks risk undermining the shared history and sacrifices of the alliance.
