NEW YORK/LONDON – Former President Donald Trump has issued a public tribute to British soldiers who served in Afghanistan, days after causing significant diplomatic friction by suggesting non-U.S. NATO allies avoided frontline combat roles. The reversal comes after sharp criticism from senior UK political figures and a rare intervention from the British Royal Family regarding the characterization of allied sacrifices.
Mr. Trump, speaking via his Truth Social platform, described British service members as "GREAT and very BRAVE" and stated they were "among the greatest of all warriors." He acknowledged the 457 British military fatalities and numerous injuries sustained during the nearly two-decade campaign. "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 wrote, emphasizing an unbreakable bond between the nations.
This conciliatory tone followed controversial remarks made earlier in the week during an interview tied to the World Economic Forum context, where Mr. Trump questioned NATO’s mutual defense credibility. He claimed that while some NATO troops were deployed to Afghanistan, they "stayed a little back, a little off the frontlines." These comments were met with immediate and severe rebuke across the UK political spectrum, including from opposition leader Sir Keir Starmer, who labeled the remarks "insulting and frankly appalling."
The controversy escalated when Prince Harry, who served two tours in Afghanistan, stated publicly that British sacrifices "deserve to be spoken about truthfully and with respect." Official commentary from Downing Street confirmed that the sitting Prime Minister had raised the issue directly with Mr. Trump prior to his social media post, stressing the shared sacrifice in Afghanistan.
The core of Mr. Trump’s recurring critique targets NATO's perceived reliance on U.S. defense spending and military commitment. Data confirms the UK suffered the second-highest number of military deaths in Afghanistan among coalition forces, behind only the United States (2,461 fatalities). The initial NATO deployment followed the invocation of Article 5 after the September 11, 2001 attacks.
While the swift retraction was welcomed by some UK Conservative figures, the incident underscores the inherent volatility in transatlantic relations when geopolitical alliances are questioned through a transactional lens. For international observers, the episode serves as a salient reminder of the enduring fragility of collective security commitments when tested by domestic political rhetoric in key allied nations.
Source: Based on reporting from Sky News and associated political disclosures.