Prime Minister Keir Starmer has strongly condemned former US President Donald Trump’s false claims that NATO troops, including British forces, “stayed a little back” and “off the front line” during the conflict in Afghanistan. Starmer described Trump’s remarks as “insulting and frankly appalling”, demanding an apology.
Trump’s comments, made in a Fox News interview, have drawn widespread condemnation from across the political spectrum in the UK. Prince Harry, who served in Afghanistan, said the “sacrifices” of British soldiers “deserve to be spoken about truthfully and with respect.”
The White House defended Trump’s claims, stating that the US has done more for NATO than any other country. However, this assertion has been widely rejected, with former Defence Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind accusing Trump of either “making accusations without bothering to check the facts, or he is just lying and knows he is lying.”
The UK suffered the second-highest number of military deaths in the Afghanistan conflict, with over 450 British personnel losing their lives. Defence Minister Al Carne invited anyone who believes Trump’s claims to “come have a whisky” with him and the families of those who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch described Trump’s comments as “flat-out nonsense”, while Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey criticised the former president for avoiding military service five times during the Vietnam War. Labour MP Calvin Bailey, a former RAF officer who served in Afghanistan, said political leaders “pass” but the sacrifices of British and American troops should be remembered.
The United States remains the only country to have invoked the collective security provisions of NATO’s Article 5, with the alliance providing support to the US after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Experts have emphasised the vital role played by British and other NATO forces in the US-led mission in Afghanistan.