In a surprising turn of events, former US President Donald Trump has backtracked on his previous “appalling” remarks about British and NATO forces in Afghanistan, following a reported intervention by King Charles III.
The controversy began earlier this week when Trump told Fox News that America had “never needed” its NATO allies, claiming their troops had “stayed a little back” during the conflict. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer swiftly condemned the comments as “insulting and frankly appalling”, and raised the issue directly with the US president in a phone call.
Now, it has emerged that King Charles, the Commander-in-Chief of the UK’s Armed Forces, also reached out to Washington through private channels to express his “concern” over the hurtful remarks. A British official stated that the King wanted to relay his pride in the “proud record of service and sacrifice” of British military personnel.
“It was made very clear that the King’s concern over the hurt had been caused by the comments, whether inadvertent or not,” the source added.
Hours after the reported royal intervention, Trump took to his social media platform to heap praise on the “great and very brave soldiers of the United Kingdom”, describing them as “second to none (except for the USA!)”. He acknowledged the 457 British deaths in the Afghanistan conflict, stating that the “bond” between the two nations is “too strong to ever be broken”.
The Duke of Sussex also weighed in, saying the “sacrifices” of British troops “deserve to be spoken about truthfully and with respect”. Conservative MP Kemi Badenoch called Trump’s initial comments “complete nonsense”, while Armed Forces Minister Al Carne, a former commando, described them as “ridiculous”.
The UK suffered the second-highest number of military deaths in the Afghanistan war, with 457 fatalities, behind the US which saw 2,461 deaths. In total, America’s allies suffered 1,160 deaths, around a third of the overall coalition casualties.
Trump’s about-face comes after he was previously criticised for avoiding the Vietnam War draft, thanks to a diagnosis of bone spurs in his heels – a claim that has been subject to doubt.
The diplomatic tensions highlight the delicate nature of the UK-US relationship, and the importance of respecting the sacrifices made by military personnel on both sides. As the two nations navigate the post-Afghanistan landscape, the need for clear and respectful communication will be crucial.
