Trump’s praise comes after the British prime minister called the US leader’s remarks “insulting” and suggested he apologize.
Published on January 24, 2026
US President Donald Trump praised British soldiers a day after receiving a rare rebuke from British Prime Minister Keir Starmer. comments he made on the fact that European troops remain “a little away from the front lines” in the war in Afghanistan.
In an apparent attempt to mitigate tensions with StarmerTrump acknowledged on social media on Saturday that 457 British troops had died in Afghanistan, with many more seriously injured, describing them as “among the greatest of all warriors.”
Recommended Stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
“The GREAT and very BRAVE soldiers of the United Kingdom will always stand with the United States of America!” » he wrote. “It’s a bond too strong to ever be broken.”
Starmer said on Friday that Trump’s comments » to the American channel Fox News on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, were “insulting and, frankly, appalling”.
Asked if he would demand an apology from Trump, Starmer replied: “If I had misspoke in that way or said those words, I would certainly apologise. »
Although Trump’s response was not limited to an apology, his olive branch came after he spoke to the British leader earlier Saturday, according to a statement from Starmer’s office.
“The Prime Minister elevated the brave and heroic British and American soldiers who fought side by side in Afghanistan, many of whom never returned home,” the statement said. “We must never forget their sacrifice,” he said.
King Charles’ younger son Prince Harry, who served two tours of duty in Afghanistan, also spoke on Friday, saying the “sacrifices” of British soldiers during the war “deserve to be spoken about with truth and respect.”
The United Kingdom was not the only NATO ally to express anger over Trump’s remarks. Other European leaders, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and French President Emmanuel Macron, reacted strongly on Saturday.
Alongside the American and British forces were troops from dozens of countries, including NATO, including collective security clauseArticle 5 was first triggered after the attacks on New York and Washington in September 2001.
More than 150 Canadians have been killed in Afghanistan, along with 90 French troops and dozens from Germany, Italy, Denmark and other countries.
The United States reportedly lost more than 2,400 soldiers.
At least 46,319 Afghan civilians died as a direct result of the 2001 invasion, according to a 2021 estimate from Brown University’s Costs of War project.
