Trump praises British troops after Afghanistan remarks spark NATO backlash

US President Donald Trump has struck a markedly conciliatory tone towards British armed forces after his earlier comments questioning the frontline role of NATO allies in Afghanistan triggered outrage in the UK and across Europe.

Just days after suggesting that troops from NATO countries, including Britain, “stayed a little back” from the frontlines during the post-9/11 war in Afghanistan, Trump publicly praised British soldiers as “among the greatest of all warriors,” signalling a sharp rhetorical U-turn.

In a post on his social media platform Truth Social, Trump hailed the UK military’s sacrifices in Afghanistan, writing: “The GREAT and very BRAVE soldiers of the United Kingdom will always be with the United States of America!” He noted that 457 British personnel were killed during the conflict, adding that many others were seriously injured. “They were among the greatest of all warriors. It’s a bond too strong to ever be broken,” Trump said.

He went on to describe the UK armed forces as “second to none (except for the U.S.A.!),” concluding the post with an emotional message: “We love you all, and always will!”

The praise came after Trump’s remarks in a Fox News interview earlier this week sparked strong backlash in Britain. During the interview, Trump claimed that NATO allies had avoided frontline combat in Afghanistan and questioned whether the alliance would support the US in a future crisis. “They’ll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan. And they did; they stayed a little back, a little off the frontlines,” he said.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer publicly condemned the comments, calling them “appalling.” A spokesperson for Starmer said the US president was “wrong to diminish the role of NATO troops, including British forces, in Afghanistan following the 9/11 attacks,” stressing that the UK remains “incredibly proud” of its armed forces.

Defence Secretary John Healey also weighed in, reminding critics that NATO’s Article 5 — the alliance’s collective defence clause — has been invoked only once in history, and that was in response to the 9/11 attacks on the United States. British soldiers who died in Afghanistan, Healey said, were “heroes who gave their lives in service of our nation.”

Trump’s remarks added to broader tensions between Washington and European allies, particularly as he has recently floated the idea of imposing tariffs on European nations and linked security cooperation to a potential US role in Greenland. Although Trump later softened his stance following talks with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, the episode has raised fresh questions about the future tone of US-Europe relations.

His latest praise for British troops appears aimed at calming diplomatic fallout, reaffirming historic military ties while attempting to reset the narrative after a stormy week for NATO unity.