In a scathing attack on BBC’s Question Time, Dame Emily Thornberry, the Labour chair of the Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, has strongly condemned US President Donald Trump’s claims that European soldiers in Afghanistan avoided the frontlines. The senior MP branded Trump’s remarks as an “absolute insult” to the 457 families who lost loved ones in the conflict.
Thornberry expressed her outrage at the President’s comments, stating: “How dare he say we weren’t on the frontline? How dare he! We have always been there. Whenever the Americans have wanted us, we have always been there.” The MP went on to criticise Trump’s own military service record, noting that he had managed to avoid the draft during the Vietnam War, while now serving as commander-in-chief.
The heated exchange came just days after Trump’s controversial attempts to purchase Greenland from Denmark, which the British MP described as “bullying” and “rude” behaviour aimed at “deliberately trying to undermine us and NATO.” Thornberry praised the UK for standing up to the US President over the Greenland issue, saying she was “proud” of the country’s response.
The dispute over Greenland appears to have been temporarily resolved, with Trump rowing back on his threat to impose new tariffs on European nations that opposed his ambitions for the mineral-rich island. The US President claimed he had “formed the framework of a future deal” with the Danish Prime Minister and NATO Secretary-General for security in the Arctic region, though the details of any potential agreement remain unclear.
Thornberry’s scathing critique of Trump’s remarks on the role of European troops in Afghanistan underscores the growing tensions between the US and its traditional allies in Europe. The Labour MP’s passionate defence of the UK’s military contribution is likely to resonate with many in Britain, who have long championed the country’s global influence and commitment to international security operations.
