After a discussion with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump stated on Truth Social that the “great and very brave soldiers of the United Kingdom will always stand alongside the United States of America.” He acknowledged the 457 British servicemen and women who died in Afghanistan and those who suffered serious injuries as “among the greatest of all warriors.”
Trump emphasized that the connection between the military forces of both countries is “too strong to ever be broken” and that the UK “with tremendous heart and soul, is second to none (except for the USA).”
These comments came after an interview Trump gave to Fox Business Network on Thursday in Davos, Switzerland, where he expressed uncertainty about the commitment of the other 31 NATO countries to support the US when needed, and remarked that their troops remained “a little off the front lines.” Trump did not directly apologize for those remarks or retract them, despite Starmer labeling them as “insulting and frankly appalling” in his initial response on Friday.
Starmer’s office at No 10 Downing Street confirmed that this issue was addressed during the conversation between the two leaders on Saturday, which also included discussions on the war in Ukraine and Arctic security.
“The prime minister spoke about the brave and heroic British and American soldiers who fought side by side in Afghanistan, many of whom never returned home,” Downing Street released in a statement. “We must never forget their sacrifice.”
Trump’s perspective, as articulated during the Fox Business interview, conflicts with the fact that in October 2001, shortly after the 9/11 attacks, the US led an international effort in Afghanistan to dismantle al-Qaeda, which had operated from there, along with its Taliban supporters.
Troops from multiple nations, including NATO allies, joined the US as part of the mutual-defense mandate that had been invoked for the first time following the attacks on New York and Washington.
Over 150,000 British troops were deployed to Afghanistan in the years following the invasion, making it the largest contingent after the American forces.
The Italian and French governments also condemned Trump’s remarks on Saturday, both deeming them “unacceptable.”
