Donald Trump has paid tribute to the “very brave” British soldiers who served in Afghanistan after fierce criticism of his claim that non-US troops had stayed back from the frontline.
On Truth Social, he said Britons “were among the greatest of all warriors” as he acknowledged the 457 who died and many who were “badly injured”.
He wrote: “The GREAT and very BRAVE soldiers of the United Kingdom will always be with the United States of America!”
“It’s a bond too strong to ever be broken,” the US president added.
“The U.K. Military, with tremendous Heart and Soul, is second to none (except for the U.S.A.!). We love you all, and always will!”
President Trump’s post comes after comments in which he falsely claimed NATO troops in Afghanistan had “stayed a little back, a little off the frontlines”.
An angered Sir Keir Starmer had called the remarks “insulting and frankly appalling”, while Prince Harry also defended the bravery of UK troops.
The prince – who served twice in Afghanistan – said British “sacrifices deserve to be spoken about truthfully and with respect”.
Downing Street said the prime minister had spoken to Mr Trump shortly before the president’s social media post on Saturday.
“The prime minister raised the brave and heroic British and American soldiers who fought side by side in Afghanistan, many of whom never returned home. We must never forget their sacrifice,” said a statement.
Mr Trump made his original comments to Fox News at the World Economic Forum earlier this week as he questioned if NATO would “be there if we ever needed them”.
“We’ve never needed them,” the US president said.
“They’ll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan… and they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the frontlines.”
Criticism from UK veterans, their families, and politicians was swift and severe.
Al Carns, the armed forces minister, who served with the Royal Marines in Afghanistan, called the claims “utterly ridiculous”.
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Tory MP Ben Obese-Jecty, who served there with the Royal Yorkshire Regiment, said it was “sad to see our nation’s sacrifice, and that of our NATO partners, held so cheaply by the president of the United States”.
Diane Dernie, whose son Ben Parkinson suffered horrific injuries in the conflict, called the comments “the ultimate insult” and called on Sir Keir to stand up to Mr Trump.
The UK suffered the second-highest number of military deaths in Afghanistan, at 457. The US saw 2,461 deaths.
America’s allies suffered 1,160 deaths during the conflict – around a third of the total coalition deaths.
The US-led invasion of Afghanistan came after 9/11 when it invoked the collective security provisions of NATO’s Article 5 clause – that an attack against one member is an attack on all.
