By Micah Jonah
January 23, 2026
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has strongly criticized United States President, Donald Trump over comments suggesting that European allies stayed away from the front lines during the war in Afghanistan, describing the remarks as insulting, unacceptable.
Starmer said the comments were deeply hurtful to families of soldiers who were killed, wounded during the conflict, stressing that British and allied troops paid a heavy price fighting alongside the United States. He added that if he had made such statements, he would have issued an apology.
Britain lost 457 service personnel in Afghanistan, making it the country’s deadliest overseas military campaign since the 1950s. For several years, British forces led operations in Helmand Province, one of the most violent regions of the war, while also serving as a key battlefield partner to the United States in Iraq.
Trump had told a US television network that America never needed the transatlantic alliance and claimed that allies stayed a little off the front lines in Afghanistan. The statement has triggered strong reactions across Europe, especially among political leaders and military veterans.
Dutch Foreign Minister, David van Weel described the comments as untrue and disrespectful, while former and serving military officers across Europe said allied troops fought and died alongside American forces throughout the conflict.
A retired Polish general, Roman Polko, who served in both Afghanistan and Iraq, said European soldiers paid in blood for the alliance and that the comments crossed a red line. He said NATO partners made real sacrifices that must never be ignored or downplayed.
Britain’s veterans minister, Alistair Carns, who also served multiple tours in Afghanistan, rejected the claims, saying allied forces fought shoulder to shoulder with American troops and that many did not return home.
Former head of Britain’s foreign intelligence service, Richard Moore, also joined the criticism, saying intelligence and military cooperation between the United States and its allies involved shared risks in dangerous environments and should not be dismissed.
Several politicians also pointed out that Trump avoided military service during the Vietnam War, questioning his moral authority to judge the sacrifices of soldiers from allied nations.
Denmark, which is currently facing diplomatic pressure from Washington over Greenland, lost 44 troops in Afghanistan, one of the highest per capita death rates among NATO members. Canada lost more than 150 soldiers, France about 90, while Germany and Italy also recorded significant casualties. The United States lost about 2,460 troops during the war, a figure similar to Britain and Denmark when measured by population size.
NATO’s collective defence agreement was invoked only once in its history, following the September 11 attacks in the United States, after which allies committed troops to support Washington in Afghanistan under NATO command for most of the war.
Analysts say the latest comments risk widening existing tensions between the United States and its European partners at a time when cooperation remains critical on global security and economic issues.
