Source Aljajeera
LONDON — Prime Minister Keir Starmer has condemned remarks by U.S. President Donald Trump as “insulting and frankly appalling” after the American leader claimed NATO allies avoided the front lines during the war in Afghanistan.
The diplomatic row erupted following an interview with Fox News aired Thursday, in which President Trump questioned the reliability of the military alliance and downplayed the contributions of international partners.
The “Frontline” Controversy
During the interview, Trump suggested that while NATO allies sent personnel to Afghanistan, they were hesitant to engage in direct combat.
“They’ll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan… and they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the front lines,” Trump said. He added that he was “not sure” NATO members would defend the United States if requested, despite the alliance’s collective defense clause.
The remarks were met with immediate and fierce rejection across the UK political spectrum. Official figures show that 457 British service members died during the conflict, with 405 of those deaths resulting from hostile military action.
“Plainly Wrong”: The UK Response
Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s spokesperson stated that the President was “wrong to diminish” the sacrifice of allied forces. Speaking later on Friday, Starmer personally addressed the hurt caused to the families of the fallen.
Keir Starmer: “I consider President Trump’s remarks to be insulting… I will never forget their courage, their bravery, and the sacrifice they made.”
John Healey (Defence Secretary): Noted that the UK “answered the U.S. call” after 9/11 and described the fallen as “heroes who gave their lives in service of our nation.”
**Kemi Badenoch (Conservative Leader): Labeled the claims as “flat-out nonsense,” emphasizing that British troops were central to the mission.
A Historic Breach of Protocol?
Critics were quick to point out that the war in Afghanistan remains the only time in history that Article 5—NATO’s collective defense pact—has been invoked. It was triggered by the allies specifically to support the United States following the September 11 attacks.
Veterans and bereaved families have expressed a sense of betrayal. Lucy Aldridge, whose son William died in the conflict at age 18, described the comments as “extremely upsetting,” while others called for a formal apology from the White House.
