Starmer Rebukes Trump Over 'Appalling' NATO Afghanistan Remarks
Keir Starmer said Donald Trump's claim that NATO troops 'stayed a little back' in Afghanistan was 'insulting' to 457 British service members who died.
Overview
Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Jan. 23, 2026 rebuked President Donald Trump's claim that non-U.S. NATO troops 'stayed a little back' in Afghanistan, calling the remarks 'insulting and frankly appalling,' Downing Street said.
Trump made the remarks on Jan. 22, 2026 while interviewed on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, saying 'we've never needed them' about NATO, a comment veterans and officials labeled factually inaccurate.
Diane Dernie, mother of injured veteran Ben Parkinson, called the comment 'the ultimate insult,' and Defence Secretary John Healey said British and NATO troops 'answered the U.S. call,' officials confirmed.
More than 150,000 British personnel served in Afghanistan and 457 British service members died, while Help for Heroes said 3,486 coalition troops died, figures cited by veterans groups and government records show.
Starmer said he expected an apology but stopped short of explicitly demanding one, and the U.K. government said it had sought comment from the White House as diplomatic strains persisted, officials said.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present the episode as a firm moral rebuke, using editorial emphasis to elevate Starmer's stance. They foreground his quoted condemnation and body-language descriptions, label Trump’s comments "factually inaccurate" and "deeply offensive", highlight military casualties for emotional weight, and cite Downing Street while omitting a balancing pro-Trump perspective.
Sources (6)
FAQ
On Jan. 22, 2026, during an interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum, Trump claimed non-U.S. NATO troops 'stayed a little back' in Afghanistan and said 'we've never needed them' about NATO.
On Jan. 23, 2026, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer rebuked Trump's claim as 'insulting and frankly appalling' to the 457 British service members who died, stating he expected an apology but did not explicitly demand one.
More than 150,000 British personnel served in Afghanistan, with 457 British service members dying; Help for Heroes cited 3,486 coalition troops killed overall.
NATO led the ISAF mission from 2003, expanding across Afghanistan under UN mandate; British troops answered the U.S. call, serving extensively with over 150,000 deployed and taking command in key regions like the south in 2006.
Diane Dernie, mother of injured veteran Ben Parkinson, called it 'the ultimate insult'; Defence Secretary John Healey said British and NATO troops answered the U.S. call; the UK government sought comment from the White House amid diplomatic strains.
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