UK Leaders Slam Trump Over NATO Afghanistan Claims

US President Donald Trump has ignited a firestorm of criticism across the United Kingdom and beyond after claiming that NATO troops, including British forces, "stayed a little back, off the front lines" during the war in Afghanistan. The remarks, made during a Fox News interview on January 22, 2026, have been met with widespread condemnation from British politicians, military veterans, and bereaved families, who have described the comments as "deeply disappointing," "plainly wrong," and "an absolute insult."

Health and Social Care Minister Stephen Kinnock was among the first to respond publicly, telling Sky News and BBC Breakfast on January 23 that President Trump's assertions "just don't really add up" and "don't bear any resemblance to reality." Kinnock emphasized the sacrifices made by British and other NATO troops in Afghanistan, noting, "The only time that Article 5 has been invoked was to go to the aid of the United States after 9/11, and many, many British soldiers and many soldiers from other European NATO allies gave their lives in support of American missions, American-led missions in places like Afghanistan and Iraq."

Britain's military involvement in Afghanistan began in 2001, following the invocation of NATO's collective security clause in the wake of the September 11 attacks. The UK, alongside other NATO allies, joined the US-led mission to oust the Taliban, which had provided sanctuary to al-Qaeda. Over the course of the two-decade conflict, 457 British service personnel lost their lives, making the UK the nation with the second-highest number of fatalities after the United States, which suffered 2,461 deaths. In all, more than 3,500 coalition soldiers died by the time the US withdrew in 2021.

Kinnock was unequivocal in his support for the armed forces, describing them as "the definition of honour and valour and patriotism" and stating, "Anybody who seeks to criticise what they have done and the sacrifices that they make is plainly wrong." He also paid tribute to the families who continue to bear the pain of their losses, singling out Lucy Aldridge, whose son William died at age 18 in a bomb blast in Helmand Province. Aldridge, speaking to the Mirror, called Trump's remarks "extremely upsetting," adding, "We live the trauma daily for the rest of our lives because of the contribution that our loved ones made. And they were absolutely on the front line."

The reaction from bereaved families was echoed by Diane Dernie, mother of Ben Parkinson, regarded as the most severely injured British soldier to survive Afghanistan. Dernie described Trump's words as "so insulting" and called on Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to "stand up for his own armed forces" and challenge the US president directly. "I can assure you, the Taliban didn't plant IEDs miles and miles back from the front line," she said, underlining the reality faced by troops on the ground.

Political condemnation has come from across the spectrum. Labour MP Emily Thornberry, chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, called Trump's comments "an absolute insult" on BBC's Question Time, stating, "We have always been there whenever the Americans have wanted us." She criticized Trump as "a man who has never seen any action" but now "knows nothing about how it is that America has been defended." 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 by the president of the United States." He added, "I saw first-hand the sacrifices made by British soldiers I served alongside in Sangin where we suffered horrific casualties, as did the US Marines the following year."

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey took to social media to express his outrage, writing, "Trump avoided military service five times. How dare he question their sacrifice?" The criticism was not limited to the UK. Dutch foreign minister David van Weel told BBC's Newsnight that Trump's remarks were "false," insisting, "Europeans shed blood" in support of US troops in Afghanistan. Van Weel praised NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte for publicly rebuffing Trump's claims at a press conference in Davos, Switzerland.

Within the UK government, the response has been unified and robust. Kinnock assured the public that Prime Minister Starmer would address the issue directly with President Trump. "He's incredibly proud of our armed forces, and he will make that clear to the president," Kinnock told LBC. Defence Secretary John Healey, speaking before Trump's comments, highlighted the joint efforts of NATO forces in Afghanistan, stating, "In Afghanistan, our forces trained together, they fought together, and on some occasions, they died together, making the ultimate sacrifice."

The sense of betrayal felt by veterans and their families has been palpable. Calvin Bailey, a Labour MP and former RAF officer who served alongside US special operations units in Afghanistan, said Trump's claim "bears no resemblance to the reality experienced by those of us who served there." He recalled reminding US forces of the shared belief in "inalienable rights and freedom from tyranny" that underpinned the response to 9/11.

Trump's comments come at a time when the US-UK relationship, and the broader NATO alliance, are under scrutiny. While the US remains the only country to have invoked Article 5 of the NATO treaty, the suggestion that allies "have never really asked anything" of the US and "stayed a little back" in Afghanistan has been widely dismissed as revisionist and disrespectful. Critics have pointed to Trump's own avoidance of military service during the Vietnam War, noting the contrast between his rhetoric and the sacrifices made by those who served.

As the controversy continues to reverberate, the episode has underscored the enduring bonds—and tensions—between the US and its NATO allies. The outpouring of anger in the UK reflects not only a defense of national honor but also a broader insistence on historical truth and mutual respect. For many, the memory of the lives lost and the shared hardships of the Afghanistan conflict demand nothing less.