Misunderstanding Sparks Outrage
The UK government has strongly criticised former US President Donald Trump after he claimed NATO troops “stayed a little back” and did not fight on the front lines in Afghanistan. In a Fox News interview aired Thursday, Trump appeared unaware that 457 British soldiers died in the conflict following the September 11 attacks.
Official figures confirm that 405 of those 457 British casualties were killed in hostile military action, highlighting the risks taken by UK forces.
Honouring NATO’s Commitment
After the 9/11 attacks, the UK and other NATO allies—including Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Denmark—joined the US in Afghanistan under NATO’s collective defence clause, Article 5, which has only been invoked once.
A spokesperson for Prime Minister Keir Starmer said, “Their sacrifice and that of other NATO forces was made in the service of collective security and in response to an attack on our ally. We are incredibly proud of our armed forces, and their service and sacrifice will never be forgotten.” Defence Secretary John Healey added that the troops who died were “heroes who gave their lives in service of our nation.”
Families and Politicians React
Trump’s remarks were met with anger from both politicians and bereaved families. Care Minister Stephen Kinnock said Starmer was expected to raise the issue directly with Trump. Lucy Aldridge, whose 18-year-old son William died in Afghanistan, called the comments “extremely upsetting.”
Emily Thornberry, chair of Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee, condemned the statements as “an absolute insult” to the 457 families who lost loved ones, asking, “How dare he say we weren’t on the front line?”
For comparison, US forces suffered over 2,400 fatalities during the same conflict.
