Starmer Slams Trump over ‘Insulting’ Afghanistan Comments
Starmer Slams Trump over ‘Insulting’ Afghanistan Comments
British Prime Minister, Keir Starmer has issued a stern rebuke to US President Donald Trump, labeling his recent comments regarding NATO’s role in the Afghanistan war as “insulting and frankly appalling.”
The diplomatic friction arose after Trump suggested in a Fox News interview that non-US NATO troops “stayed a little back, a little off the front lines” during the 20-year conflict. Starmer, speaking to reporters on Friday, defended the bravery of international forces and suggested that the American president should apologize for diminishing their sacrifice.
The Prime Minister’s intervention follows a week of mounting tension between London and Washington.
Relations have already been strained by Trump’s criticism of the UK’s decision to transfer the Chagos Islands to Mauritius a move the US president called an act of “stupidity.”
Starmer’s decision to publicly challenge the president on military history marks a significant escalation, as Downing Street usually seeks to maintain a “special relationship” despite political differences.
The backlash in the United Kingdom has been widespread, spanning the political spectrum and drawing fury from veterans’ organizations.
Critics were quick to point out the heavy toll the war took on British personnel, with 457 service members losing their lives in the conflict. Defense Secretary John Healey reinforced this sentiment, stating that British troops were “heroes who gave their lives in service of our nation” and reminding the White House that NATO allies were the ones who answered the US call for help after the September 11 attacks.
In his remarks, Starmer focused on the emotional impact Trump’s words had on those who lost loved ones or suffered life-altering injuries.
He noted that the US president’s assertions were not just factually incorrect but deeply hurtful to the national psyche of America’s closest allies.
“I will never forget their courage, their bravery and the sacrifice that they made for their country,” Starmer said, directly contradicting the narrative that allied forces avoided the heat of battle.
Opposition leaders also joined the condemnation, with Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey accusing Trump of “denigrating” the troops. Davey and others pointed to Trump’s own history, specifically his five draft deferments during the Vietnam War, suggesting he was in no position to question the frontline service of others. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch also dismissed the president’s claims as “flat-out nonsense,” showing a rare moment of cross-party unity in the UK Parliament.
The controversy comes at a time when Trump is also clashing with other European nations, notably Denmark, over his renewed interest in acquiring Greenland. This pattern of questioning the value and commitment of NATO members has raised fresh alarms in European capitals about the future of the military alliance. Many analysts suggest that these rhetorical attacks are damaging the trust required for collective defense under Article 5.
Addressing the specific nature of the offense, the Prime Minister made it clear that such rhetoric was unacceptable for a world leader. “And so I consider President Trump’s remarks to be insulting and frankly appalling, and I’m not surprised they caused such hurt to the loved ones of those who were killed or injured,” Starmer said. He concluded by noting that if he had ever “misspoken in that way,” he would certainly offer a full apology to those affected.
