‘Great and very brave soldiers of UK’: Donald Trump’s U-turn after comment on NATO troops in Afghanistan | World News
President Donald Trump walks down the stairs of Air Force One upon his arrival at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, after returning from the World Economic Forum in Davos.(AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez) US President Donald Trump on Saturday said the brave soldiers of the United Kingdom will always be with the United States. He also noted that 457 British soldiers died in Afghanistan and many more were badly injured during the 20-year-long US-led NATO invasion of the country.
“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,” Trump said in a post on his social media platform, Truth Social.
“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,” he added.
Trump’s climbdown came a day after he faced heavy criticism from the UK and other NATO member countries over a comment he made disparaging the international coalition troops who fought along with the US in Afghanistan.
What Trump said about NATO troops in Afghanistan
Earlier this week, Trump, while speaking to Fox News, claimed that NATO allies avoided the front lines during the war in Afghanistan. According to Trump, non-US troops stayed a little back, a little off the front lines in Afghanistan.
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He also expressed doubt that NATO allies would support the US if the country were ever attacked. This is despite the fact that the US is the only country to have ever invoked NATO’s Article 5 collective defense clause following the 9/11 attacks.
Insulting and frankly appalling: Starmer
Trump’s comments, however, did not go down well with NATO allies, in particular the UK, where Prime Minister Keir Starmer called it “insulting and frankly appalling” and sought an apology from the US President.
Prince Harry, who is himself an Afghanistan veteran, stated that sacrifices “deserve to be spoken about truthfully and with respect”.
Reaction from other NATO countries
Officials from Denmark and Canada also criticised Trump and pointed to their high casualty rates in Afghanistan. In Poland, former Polish General Roman Polko said Trump had “crossed a red line,” and added that “we paid with blood for this alliance”.
