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British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has strongly condemned remarks made by US President Donald Trump about NATO forces, describing them as “insulting and frankly appalling,” and saying they warrant an apology.
Trump made the comments during a Fox News interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, where he claimed the United States had “never needed” NATO support and suggested that non-American allied troops stayed “a little off the front lines” during the war in Afghanistan.
Starmer dismissed the claims, pointing to the significant sacrifices made by British and other NATO forces throughout the two-decade conflict. He noted that 457 British service personnel lost their lives in Afghanistan, while many others suffered life-changing injuries.
“I consider President Trump’s remarks to be insulting and frankly appalling,” Starmer said, adding that the comments had caused deep hurt to the families of those who were killed or wounded while serving.
The prime minister stressed that respect must be shown to allied troops who fought and died during the conflict, adding that an apology would be the appropriate response.
“If I had spoken in that way or used those words, I would certainly apologise,” he said.
The war in Afghanistan began in 2001 following the September 11 terrorist attacks on the United States, after NATO invoked Article 5—its collective defence clause—for the first time in its history. Forces from the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, France and other NATO allies played key roles in combat operations, counter-terrorism efforts and stabilisation missions.
British troops were heavily deployed in some of the most dangerous areas, particularly Helmand Province, where they fought alongside US forces against Taliban insurgents. Thousands of NATO personnel were killed or injured during the mission, highlighting the scale of allied involvement and sacrifice throughout the conflict.
