In a significant reversal, former US President Donald Trump has lauded the "very brave" British soldiers who served in Afghanistan. This follows intense backlash over his earlier remarks questioning the frontline commitment of non-American NATO troops during the conflict.
A Swift Social Media Retraction
Taking to his Truth Social platform on Saturday, Trump wrote: "The GREAT and very BRAVE soldiers of the United Kingdom will always be with the United States of America!" He added: "It's a bond too strong to ever be broken. The U.K. Military, with tremendous Heart and Soul, is second to none (except for the U.S.A.!). We love you all, and always will!"
The president specifically acknowledged the 457 British military personnel who lost their lives in Afghanistan, alongside many others who were "badly injured" during the near twenty-year campaign.
Original Comments Spark Fury
Trump's praise marks a dramatic shift from comments made earlier in the week at the World Economic Forum. Speaking to Fox News, he had questioned NATO's reliability, stating: "We've never needed them." Regarding Afghanistan, he claimed allied troops "stayed a little back, a little off the frontlines."
These assertions provoked immediate and widespread condemnation from across the British political spectrum and military community.
Political and Royal Backlash
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer labelled the initial remarks "insulting and frankly appalling." Downing Street confirmed that Starmer had spoken directly with Trump shortly before the president's social media retraction. A government statement noted: "The prime minister raised the brave and heroic British and American soldiers who fought side by side in Afghanistan, many of whom never returned home. We must never forget their sacrifice."
Prince Harry, who completed two tours of duty in Afghanistan, also defended UK troops. The prince emphasised that British "sacrifices deserve to be spoken about truthfully and with respect."
Veterans and Families React
The criticism from UK veterans and their families was particularly severe. Diane Dernie, whose son Ben Parkinson suffered catastrophic injuries in Afghanistan, called Trump's original comments "the ultimate insult" and urged the prime minister to confront the US leader.
Al Carns, the Armed Forces Minister and a former Royal Marine who served in Afghanistan, dismissed the claims as "utterly ridiculous." Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty, who served with the Royal Yorkshire Regiment in the conflict, expressed sadness that "our nation's sacrifice, and that of our NATO partners, [was] held so cheaply by the president of the United States."
A Welcome Reversal
Trump's subsequent praise was welcomed by some political figures. Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch stated on social media platform X: "I'm pleased President Trump has now acknowledged the role of the British armed forces and those brave men and women who gave their lives fighting alongside the US and our allies. It should never have been questioned in the first place."
The Human Cost of Conflict
The controversy has refocused attention on the substantial human cost of the Afghanistan war for NATO allies. Over 1,000 non-American NATO service personnel lost their lives, with the United Kingdom suffering the second-highest death toll at 457. The United States endured 2,461 military fatalities. Thousands more from all nations were seriously wounded.
The American-led invasion was launched shortly after the 9/11 attacks, invoking NATO's Article 5 collective defence clause for the first and only time in the alliance's history.
