Trump Praises U.K. Troops After Davos Remarks Spark Outrage
Trump praised the U.K. soldiers and acknowledged 457 British deaths in a Jan. 24, 2026 Truth Social post but did not offer a formal apology.
Overview
President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social on Jan. 24, 2026 that the "GREAT and very BRAVE" soldiers of the United Kingdom were "among the greatest of all warriors," acknowledged that 457 had died in Afghanistan and did not issue a direct apology.
Trump's Jan. 22, 2026 Fox Business interview in Davos, in which he said NATO troops "stayed a little back, a little off the front lines," provoked widespread anger and was called "insulting and frankly appalling" by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Downing Street said.
King Charles relayed his concerns about Trump's Jan. 22 interview through diplomatic channels, a step that Downing Street and other officials said contributed to the president's Jan. 24 clarification, officials confirmed.
Records show 457 British service members died in Afghanistan, Pentagon records list 2,461 U.S. fatalities and veterans group Help for Heroes cites about 3,486 coalition deaths during the war.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Donald Trump agreed to speak again as leaders discussed Ukraine and Arctic security, Downing Street said, while veterans, lawmakers and royal sources continued to press for a formal apology.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the story as a controversy centered on Trump’s diplomatic misstep, using emphatic language such as backlash and furor and prioritizing critical voices—Keir Starmer, Prince Harry, veterans—while juxtaposing casualty statistics against his remarks. Structural choices that lead with reactions and note the absence of an apology amplify the negative narrative.
Sources (28)
FAQ
In a Jan. 22, 2026 Fox Business interview in Davos, Trump said NATO troops 'stayed a little back, a little off the front lines' in Afghanistan.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the comments 'insulting and frankly appalling,' and King Charles relayed concerns through diplomatic channels.
On Jan. 24, 2026, Trump praised UK soldiers as 'GREAT and very BRAVE' and acknowledged 457 British deaths in Afghanistan, but issued no formal apology.
Records confirm 457 British service members died; Pentagon lists 2,461 US fatalities and about 3,486 total coalition deaths.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer and President Trump agreed to speak again, while discussing Ukraine and Arctic security.
History
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