Prime Minister Keir Starmer has strongly criticised former US President Donald Trump’s comments about British troops in Afghanistan, describing them as “insulting and frankly appalling”. Starmer has suggested that Trump should apologise for his remarks.
Trump’s comments, made in a television interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, claimed that NATO allies “stayed a little back, off the front line” during the conflict in Afghanistan. This is in stark contrast to the reality, where 457 British service personnel lost their lives and hundreds more suffered life-changing injuries while fighting alongside American and other allied forces.
Addressing the issue in Downing Street, Starmer paid tribute to the bravery and sacrifice of the British troops who served in Afghanistan. “I will never forget their courage, their bravery and the sacrifice they made for their country,” he said. “There were many also who were injured, some with life-changing injuries.”
The Prime Minister’s official spokesman described Trump’s remarks as wrong, stating that “Following the 9/11 attacks on the US, Article 5 of the NATO Treaty (a mutual defence agreement if one member is attacked) was invoked for the first time, and British forces served alongside American and other allied troops in sustained combat operations.”
Starmer’s condemnation of Trump’s comments has been echoed by a range of political figures and military veterans. Labour MP Clive Lewis, who served in Afghanistan, said Trump’s remarks “will hurt many people, especially those who lost loved ones or are still living with the consequences of serving in Afghanistan.”
Ben McBean, a former Royal Marine Commando who suffered catastrophic injuries from an improvised explosive device, called Trump’s claims “complete rubbish”, saying “if someone’s speaking the truth you don’t mind. But when it’s complete rubbish it kind of offends you.”
The Prime Minister is facing calls to summon the US Ambassador to the UK to explain Trump’s remarks, which have been widely condemned as an “insult” to the brave British troops who fought and died in Afghanistan. Starmer has made clear that he will always stand up for the UK’s armed forces and their sacrifice.
