Quick Read
- U.S. President Donald Trump suggested NATO allies ‘kept their distance’ during the Afghanistan conflict.
- UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called Trump’s remarks ‘offensive and shocking’ and demanded an apology.
- 457 British soldiers died in the Afghanistan campaign, with other NATO allies also suffering significant casualties.
- Veterans and families of fallen soldiers expressed outrage and called for a formal apology, citing their direct involvement on the front lines.
- The White House defended Trump’s statements, asserting the U.S. contributed more to NATO than any other country.
LONDON (Azat TV) – U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent comments on Fox News, suggesting NATO allies ‘kept their distance’ during the Afghanistan conflict, have ignited widespread outrage across Europe, prompting urgent calls for an apology from leaders, veterans, and public figures who view the remarks as a profound insult to the sacrifices of allied soldiers.
The controversy emerged on January 23, 2026, when UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer publicly rebuked President Trump for his statements. Speaking to Al Jazeera, Starmer described Trump’s remarks as “offensive and, frankly, shocking.” When pressed on whether an apology was due, Starmer asserted, “If I had said something wrong or made such comments, I would certainly apologize.” He also took a moment to honor the 457 British soldiers who died in the U.S.-led Afghanistan campaign that began in 2001, highlighting the United Kingdom’s substantial sacrifice.
Trump’s Remarks and White House Defense
During his Fox News interview, President Trump stated, “We’ve never needed them, we’ve never really asked anything from them,” referring to NATO. He further added that allies “stayed a little back, a little off the front lines.” These comments followed a dramatic week of escalating and then abruptly de-escalating tensions with Europe, which saw Trump threaten to seize Greenland by force and propose a 200% tariff on French wine imports.
Despite the backlash, the White House swiftly rejected Starmer’s criticism. In a statement provided to AFP, spokesperson Taylor Rogers defended Trump, asserting, “President Trump is absolutely right – the US has contributed more to NATO than any other country in the alliance.” This firm response from Washington indicated little willingness to retract the statements or issue the suggested apology.
A Chorus of Condemnation from Europe
The outrage extended far beyond Downing Street. Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel called Trump’s claims “not true and disrespectful,” while Poland’s Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak Kamysz declared his country “a reliable and proven ally, and that will not change.” Prince Harry, who served two tours in Afghanistan, added a deeply personal dimension to the debate, saying, “Thousands of lives have been changed forever. Parents had to bury their sons and daughters. Children have been orphaned. Families have had to bear the consequences.” He insisted that the sacrifices of British soldiers “deserve to be acknowledged honestly and respectfully.”
Even staunch Trump allies in the UK expressed disapproval. Reform U.K. leader Nigel Farage, whom singer Rod Stewart suggested should demand an apology, stated on social media, “Donald Trump is wrong.” Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch went further, calling Trump’s comments “flat-out nonsense,” emphasizing that “British, Canadian, and NATO troops fought and died alongside the US for 20 years. This is a fact, not opinion. Their sacrifice deserves respect, not denigration.”
Veterans and Families Demand Respect
The most poignant reactions came from the veterans and families directly affected by the conflict. Andy Allen, a British veteran who lost both legs and an arm to an improvised explosive device (IED) in Helmand Province, called on Trump to issue a formal apology for the “disrespectful, inappropriate and unexpected” remarks. He emphasized his experience on the front line, stating, “If they [American soldiers] were on the front line, and we were stood next to them, then clearly we were on the front line as well.” Allen plans to write to the White House to underscore that NATO members were “very much serving with our American comrades and counterparts.”
Diane Dernie, whose son Ben Parkinson is considered the most severely injured British soldier to survive in Afghanistan, expressed her shock at Trump’s comments. “Ben wore the ISAF badge, the Nato badge, he went as part of that international security force,” she told BBC News, questioning, “How on earth can this be acceptable?” Monica Kershaw, whose 19-year-old son Christopher was killed just three weeks into his first deployment, echoed the sentiment: “He was on the front line. There were six lads who all got killed… They’ve all been killed for nothing, if he says they weren’t there helping. Why were they coming back in wooden boxes?”
U.S. Navy veteran Shawn VanDiver, who now leads a group assisting Afghan wartime allies, refuted Trump’s claims, telling the BBC, “We could not have accomplished what we did without them.” He added that the families of fallen NATO soldiers would likely feel “betrayed.” Michael Akpata, who served among the 40,000 Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan, where Canada lost 158 soldiers, stated that Trump’s comments “belittle” their sacrifices.
Rod Stewart’s Personal Plea
Adding a unique voice to the outcry, rock star Rod Stewart released a passionate video message, calling on UK leaders to demand an apology from President Trump. Stewart, who lives half a mile from Trump in Florida and once considered him a friend, referred to Trump twice as a “draft dodger.” Stewart stated, “We lost over 400 of our guys. Think of their parents. Think about it! And Trump calls ’em almost like cowards. It’s unbearable.” Stewart, who previously expressed support for Trump ally Nigel Farage, noted his shift in perspective since Trump became president, saying, “He became another guy. Somebody I didn’t know.”
The Broader Context of Transatlantic Strain
Trump’s controversial NATO remarks followed a sudden reversal at the World Economic Forum in Davos on January 22. There, he announced he would not pursue military action against Greenland and withdrew the tariff threats against French imports, offering Europe a temporary reprieve. This shift, as former French Ambassador to the US Philippe Etienne explained to RFI, was partly driven by economic realities and the unified stance of European governments.
However, in the same Davos address, Trump cast doubt on NATO’s fundamental reliability. This assertion struck a nerve in Europe, where Article 5 of the North Atlantic Treaty, a collective security guarantee, is a cornerstone of the alliance. After the September 11 attacks, Article 5 was invoked for the first time, leading to a coalition effort in Afghanistan that saw more than 150,000 British troops deployed – the second-largest contingent after the U.S. The human cost was significant: the U.S. lost over 2,400 soldiers, the UK mourned 457, and other NATO members, including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Denmark, also suffered casualties.
The ongoing discord within NATO and the transatlantic alliance has not gone unnoticed by rivals. RFI reported that Russia and China have observed the developments with satisfaction, seeing American unilateralism as weakening Western alliances and benefiting their own strategic ambitions, particularly in the Arctic.
During the same week, Trump also announced the creation of a new ‘Peace Council,’ a body he would personally lead to resolve global conflicts, positioning it as a rival to the United Nations. Daniel Forti of the International Crisis Group told AFP that Trump clearly aims to bypass the Security Council and gain significant influence over peace and security issues, though experts like Ian Hurd of Northwestern University expressed skepticism about its legitimacy and lasting authority.
The events of the past week have left Europe grappling with the reality of a turbulent ally and a shifting security landscape. While the alliance technically holds, the deep cracks exposed by Trump’s comments and the ensuing demands for an apology signal a significant and potentially lasting strain on transatlantic relations, forcing allies to reconsider the stability of their foundational partnerships.