US President Donald Trump’s remarks on NATO allies regarding Afghanistan have evoked sharp reactions in Britain. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Prince Harry have condemned Trump’s statement, calling it an insult to the sacrifices of NATO soldiers. According to CNN, in an interview with Fox News, Trump said that America contributed the most to NATO, but got very little in return. Commenting on the deployment of NATO countries in Afghanistan, he said that the allies remained “a little behind the frontline”.
On this, PM Keir Starmer released a video message on the social media platform ‘X’ and paid tribute to the 457 British soldiers who lost their lives in Afghanistan. He said, “President Trump’s comments are insulting and deeply worrying.” Starmer remembered the courage and sacrifice of those soldiers who were martyred for the country or returned with lifelong injuries. Prince Harry, who was deployed in Afghanistan twice while in the British Army, also issued a strong statement. He said that NATO’s Article 5 was implemented for the first and only time so far in 2001, when all the allied countries stood with America after the 9/11 attacks.
Harry said, “I served there, made friends, and lost friends. Thousands of lives were changed forever. These sacrifices must be remembered with truth and respect.” According to CNN, a total of about 3,500 allied troops died in the Afghanistan war, including 2,456 Americans and 457 British. The White House defended Trump, dismissing Starmer’s criticism. White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said that no country in NATO, even combined, has contributed as much as the United States.