US President Donald Trump recently dubbed British troops, who fought in Afghanistan, “among the greatest of all warriors” after drawing significant criticism for his previous remarks regarding the role NATO forces played in Afghanistan.
For context, during his interview with Fox News in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday, the POTUS claimed that NATO allied troops “stayed a little off the frontlines” in Afghanistan.
“We’ve never needed them, we have never really asked anything of them. You know, they’ll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan, or this or that, and they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the front lines,” said the President.
His remarks quickly drew criticism, which he later addressed in a Truth Social post, shared on January 24, 2026. “The great and very brave soldiers of the United Kingdom will always be with the United States of America. In Afghanistan, 457 died, many were badly injured, and they were among the greatest of all warriors.”
The post continued, “It’s a bond too strong to ever be broken. The UK military, with tremendous heart and soul, is second to none (except for the USA). We love you all, and always will!”
( @realDonaldTrump – Truth Social Post )
( Donald J. Trump – Jan 24 2026, 11:49 AM ET )
The GREAT and very BRAVE soldiers of the United Kingdom will always be with the United States of America! In Afghanistan, 457 died, many were badly injured, and they… pic.twitter.com/yBWZAYkeYJ
— Donald J Trump Posts TruthSocial (@TruthTrumpPost) January 24, 2026
The US President’s comments attracted criticism from the likes of Keir Starmer, with the British Prime Minister calling Trump’s remark “insulting and frankly appalling.”
Sir Keir also mentioned had he “misspoken in that way or said those words,” he would “certainly apologise.” He also paid tribute to the 457 British personnel who lost their lives in Afghanistan, adding, “I will never forget their courage, their bravery and the sacrifice that they made for their country. There are many also who were injured, some with life-changing injuries,” per CNN.
A Downing Street spokesperson claimed that “The prime minister spoke to the president of the United States, Donald Trump” on a call on Saturday in which they spoke about “the brave and heroic British and American soldiers who fought side by side in Afghanistan, many of whom never returned home.”
🚨 NEW: Keir Starmer spoke to Donald Trump just before Trump rolled back on his statement about British troops in Afghanistan
No 10: “The Prime Minister raised the brave and heroic British and American soldiers who fought side by side in Afghanistan, many of whom never returned… https://t.co/udymotAtiU
— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) January 24, 2026
Later on Friday, White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers, in a statement to the AFP news agency, backed up Trump’s claims, stating that he is “absolutely right – the United States of America has done more for NATO than any other country in the alliance has done combined.”
The POTUS’ remarks also received criticism from Prince Harry, who was twice deployed in the country. In a statement, King Charles’s younger son said that the sacrifices of UK troops during the war “deserve to be spoken about truthfully and with respect.”
“Thousands of lives were changed forever. Mothers and fathers buried sons and daughters,” he said, adding, “Children were left without a parent. Families are left carrying the cost.”
