US President Donald Trump has reversed course on British troops. He praised them on Truth Social as "among the greatest of all warriors" after facing sharp criticism for earlier remarks questioning their combat role in Afghanistan.
Trump posted on Saturday: "The GREAT and very BRAVE soldiers of the United Kingdom will always be with the United States of America! In Afghanistan, 457 died, many were badly injured, and they were among the greatest of all warriors. It's a bond too strong to ever be broken. The U.K. Military, with tremendous Heart and Soul, is second to none (except for the U.S.A.!). We love you all, and always will!"
The tribute marks a dramatic shift from Trump's comments in a Fox News interview, where he downplayed the contributions of non-US allied forces. He had claimed Western allies would "not be there for us" if needed, adding: "We've never needed them," Trump also suggested that troops sent to Afghanistan "[...] stayed a little back, a little off the front lines."
Political Backlash
The original remarks sparked fierce reactions from UK leaders. Prime Minister Keir Starmer called Trump's comments "insulting and frankly appalling"
Prince Harry responded that "sacrifices deserve to be spoken about truthfully and with respect" Reports suggest Starmer spoke with Trump before the president's public reversal.
UK Casualties in Afghanistan
British forces suffered the second-highest death toll in Afghanistan after the United States. The 457 UK troops who died were part of 1,160 non-US allied forces killed in the conflict. NATO troops deployed to Afghanistan after President Bush triggered Article 5 of the NATO treaty following the 9/11 terror attacks—the US is the only country to have ever triggered that clause.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
