Outrage in the UK as Trump Questions NATO Sacrifices in Afghanistan

Fri Jan 23 2026 07:02:16 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Donald Trump's recent remarks claiming NATO troops stayed 'off the front lines' during the Afghanistan war have ignited controversy and anger among British politicians and veterans.

Former President Donald Trump has sparked outrage in the UK after suggesting NATO troops, specifically from the UK, were not engaged at the front lines during the Afghanistan war. His comments, made during a Fox News interview, were met with condemnation from Labour MP Emily Thornberry and other officials who called the statements disrespectful to the sacrifices made by service personnel. Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty also expressed dismay, emphasizing the gravity of the situation faced by NATO allies in the conflict.

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. We've never needed them, he said, adding: We have never really asked anything of them. He noted, They'll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan, and they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the front lines.

Thornberry told the BBC's Question Time that the remarks were much more than a mistake. She said, It's an absolute insult... How dare he say we weren't on the front line, how dare he? We have always been there whenever the Americans have wanted us, criticizing Trump for making such assertions without military experience.

On the same programme, Conservative shadow cabinet member Stuart Andrew called the comments disgraceful and appalling, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the sacrifices made by those who served in Afghanistan.

Sir Ed wrote on social media that Trump had avoided military service, adding: How dare he question their sacrifice? Meanwhile, former British Army officer Obese-Jecty 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.

Calvin Bailey, a Labour MP and former RAF officer who served alongside US special operations units in Afghanistan, noted that Trump's claim bore no resemblance to the reality experienced by those of us who served there. He added, We were there because of a shared belief that free people should not live under tyranny, pointing to the historical context of NATO's involvement post-9/11.

The BBC reached out to the Ministry of Defence for comment, which highlighted a recent statement from Defence Secretary John Healey recognizing the collaborative sacrifices made by troops in Afghanistan.

The US invasion in October 2001 aimed to oust the Taliban due to their harboring of Osama Bin Laden, prompting NATO nations to contribute troops and support. As of 2021, more than 3,500 coalition soldiers had died in the conflict, with the UK suffering the second-highest number of military casualties.

}