Trump's Controversial Remarks on NATO Troops Ignite Outrage in the UK

Fri Jan 23 2026 16:13:24 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Donald Trump's recent statements questioning the frontline commitment of NATO troops in Afghanistan have triggered a wave of backlash from UK officials and military veterans, highlighting the long-standing sacrifices made by British service personnel.

Former President Donald Trump has stirred controversy in the UK by suggesting that NATO troops stayed 'a little off the front lines' during the Afghanistan conflict. His comments have been met with condemnation from British lawmakers, who called them an insult to the sacrifices made by military personnel. Prominent figures, including Labour MP Emily Thornberry and Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey, have criticized Trump's remarks for undermining the contributions of allied forces. The incident underscores the profound impacts of military sacrifice and the sensitivity of NATO relationships.

Donald Trump has sparked fresh outrage in the UK after saying Nato troops stayed 'a little off the front lines' during the war in Afghanistan.

Labour MP Emily Thornberry, the chair of the foreign affairs committee, called it an 'absolute insult' to the 457 British service personnel killed in the conflict, while Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said: 'How dare he question their sacrifice?'

Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty, who served in Afghanistan, said it was 'sad to see our nation's sacrifice, and that of our Nato partners, held so cheaply'.

The UK was among several allies to join the US in Afghanistan from 2001, after it invoked Nato's collective security clause following the 9/11 terror attacks.

The US president told Fox News on Thursday that he was 'not sure' the military alliance would be there for America 'if we ever needed them'.

Thornberry told the BBC's Question Time that the remarks were 'much more than a mistake'. 'It's an absolute insult... How dare he say we weren't on the front line?' she said.

'We have always been there whenever the Americans have wanted us,' she added, before emphasizing the UK-US special relationship and the importance of mutual respect among allies.

Trump's comments have spurred a wider debate about the sacrifices made by British soldiers in support of NATO missions, with veteran MPs and military representatives defending their contributions to the long-standing alliance.

The US invaded in October 2001 to oust the Taliban, and NATO nations contributed troops and military equipment to this US-led war, with over 3,500 coalition soldiers reported dead as of 2021.