US President Donald Trump has publicly praised British troops who served in Afghanistan after his earlier comments about NATO forces triggered strong criticism from veterans, politicians and military families.
Speaking earlier this week, Trump suggested that allied forces had played a limited role during the Afghanistan campaign, claiming NATO troops had remained away from the front lines. The remarks prompted anger across several allied nations, including the UK, where senior political figures described the comments as deeply offensive.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer raised the issue directly with the US president during a phone call on Saturday, according to Downing Street. Following that conversation, Trump issued a statement praising British service personnel and acknowledging their sacrifices during the conflict. In a post published on his Truth Social platform, Trump said British soldiers who fought in Afghanistan were “among the greatest of all warriors”, adding that the bond between the two countries’ armed forces was “too strong to ever be broken.”
He wrote:
“The GREAT and very BRAVE soldiers of the United Kingdom will always be with the United States of America! In Afghanistan, 457 died, many were badly injured, and they were among the greatest of all warriors. 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! President DONALD J. TRUMP”
Trump’s comments appeared to soften his earlier remarks, though he did not issue a formal apology. Earlier in the week, the president had said of NATO allies: “They’ll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan and they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the front lines.” He also questioned whether the alliance would support the United States if it faced a future crisis. Those remarks prompted a swift backlash. Veterans groups and serving personnel highlighted the scale of allied involvement in Afghanistan, where NATO invoked Article 5 for the first and only time following the 11 September 2001 attacks on the United States.
The UK suffered the second-highest number of military fatalities in the conflict after the United States, with 457 British service personnel killed during operations. More than 3,500 coalition troops died overall before the US-led withdrawal in 2021. Downing Street confirmed that Sir Keir Starmer used his call with Trump to make clear the shared sacrifices made by British and American forces.
Empty Words from a disgusting man.
No apology and no mention of other NATO forces that served in Afghanistan, trump is a twat
Every time I look at its face I want to throw up. Disgusting, vile, repulsive imbecile. Sooner it’s thrown in prison the better.
Trump is arguably the most unpleasant person in American history; fragile, iealous, petty and greedy, an unforgiving narcissist; a vindictive ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic; homophobic racist; a serial liar, a serial predator and proud of it, an Islamophobic, sociopathic, megalomaniacal, demagogue, a capricious bully and self-serving repulsive con artist without a shred of conscience. And a sex predator and convicted criminal.
I don’t see the issue? Trump waffle on without a script, a speech writer or probably much thought! It’s just words, and while what he said initially was incorrect, he was correct in regards to a few European countries who ensured they would only deploy in certain less kinetic operational areas. I’m glad he has apologised, and stated that the Brits are some of the best warriors (slight correction it’s THE best, and er maybe the Danes and the Estonian lads but shhhhhhh don’t tell them I said so) but I’m quite disappointed with all the false outrage from our politicians and media! I don’t care what he said and know the truth, a truth which is easily and quickly forgotten by our elected heads and the population in general! I can and do sympathise with the families of the boys who didn’t make it (one family I’m still very close to) but come on, get off the bandwagon and let’s challenge these clowns in charge, right now, about the legacy act and stop letting Stazi Starmer use this as a diversion !!!!!!!!
If you don’t see the issue, that says a lot about you.
Tell you what, I will make that decision and if you cannot understand that then it says a lot about you. More false outrage yes!
False outrage, you sir are a clown!
Your reply tells me and everyone else about you!
Airborne was there, and did his bit, that says plenty about him by my book.
No clown, just a vet with an opinion and a certain blunt way with words, he says it as he sees it.
All power to him by me.
I do recall that some NATO nations there had differing ROE, so he probably meant that. However,
he has a big mouth, and opens it seemingly on a whim without any advisors suggesting he do otherwise. Not a statesmen at all, and I think this time he’s really pissed off a lot of people, rightly.
Us Brits I believe where in from the early days alongside the CIA SAD teams with the Northern Alliance, and Helmand after was hardly a quiet backwater. He should know that.
On Starmer, I support him for vocally rebuking Trump, but at the same time, he’s happy to drag vets through the courts, so I at least see the two faced side of things and the PR value in this for him.
He probably thinks Afghanistan has penguins.
Too little too late from this coward. Also interesting to see that his Poodle Farage has been silent during all this.
Think he put out a statement of “Trump is wrong on this” and that was it entirely. Too busy grifting.
It would appear you’re more interested in political point scoring than the opinions and concerns of the people who were there! Farage has already disagreed wiry Trump but that fact may not equate with your echo chamber.
Prove it where his grifting Poodle said he should apologise?
Are you ok? Read your own comment once more and try to observe where you even said that you expect Farage to apologise, then froth and give it big licks with me about proving something you did not ask! Give yourself a tea break.
Are you ok? Drinking all that MAGA cool aid isn’t good for you. The fact you still support this orange megalomaniac is astonishing.
Firstly, I see you ignore the content and request in my reply to you, and secondly please find any post where I said I support the orange man? You do need to take notice and understand the information given to you prior to going on a political oriented froth! More false outrage yes?
I’d recommend you take more or less of what you are on.
Not correct.
Sky and the BBC, amazingly, all reported Farage’s responses like the leaders of all other parties. He said Trump was wrong. So he was not silent.
Feel free to share it Daniele? Are you still a Farage supporter?
There is some truth in what Trump said, although it was a poorly made point coming from him!
I spent over three years in Afghanistan and have a pretty clear view of who did and didn’t do what. Lessons need to be learnt, especially around how we commit to the ‘coalition of the willing’.
Much of the Afghanistan argument comes down to national caveats. Some NATO countries deployed troops but restricted how they could fight. Germany, Spain, Italy and Turkey all imposed limits at various points, things like operating only in certain regions, no night ops, or rules that confined troops largely to self-defence. In practice, this kept them away from the heaviest fighting and tucked away at Camp Bastion.
Others operated with few or no caveats. The UK, US, Canada, Denmark, the Netherlands and Estonia were involved in sustained front-line combat and took serious casualties.
That difference was not about the soldiers. It was the result of political decisions made back home. Lumping all NATO countries together as if they fought the same war is where the argument falls apart, and we need to remember this when talking about countries ‘committing’ to sending troops to Ukraine.
Agreed, but the amount of false outrage from people who were not there and don’t give a flying fuck makes me puke a little! The orange man’s comment was a disrespect and ill informed which would hit the families of the lads who didn’t make it back mostly. Those are the people who deserve an apology, and a statement (which he has now put out) understanding the sacrifice their loved ones gave. It’s about the lads and the families, not the politicians and the media outlets who have an agenda to push! 👍
“That difference was not about the soldiers. It was the result of political decisions made back home.”
Most NATO soldiers, from the serious countries, are very, very good.
And, a certain extent, the issue around RoEs and how that limited kinetic activity. There is an argument that UK forces were considerable hampered by this and it lead to a perception of weakness.
I found 2006 to be pretty RoE free after we moved into Sangin, not very productive but necessary. Agreed, pretty much all the other blokes from NATO I worked with were on the top of their game! (Even in 2001 the Bulgarian Bath and Laundry unit at the bus depot were top notch) 👍
Well said.
And thanks for revealing your background.
Respect.