Prince Harry and British Prime Minister Kier Starmer on Friday slammed President Donald Trump’s feedback after he claimed troops from NATO allies have been “a little bit off the entrance traces” throughout combating in Afghanistan.
Harry, a British Military captain deployed to Afghanistan twice in 2008 and 2012, mentioned in a press release that when NATO invoked Article 5 for the primary and solely time in its historical past to help U.S. troops in Afghanistan — America’s allies “answered that decision.”
“I served there. I made lifelong buddies there. And I misplaced buddies there. The UK alone had 457 service personnel killed,” he mentioned.
Britain’s Prince Harry reveals off his flight helmet as he makes his early morning pre-flight checks on the British managed flight-line at Camp Bastion in Afghanistan’s Helmand Province, December 12, 2012.
John Stillwell/AFP by way of Getty Photos
“1000’s of lives have been modified without end. Moms and dads buried little children. Youngsters have been left with no dad or mum. Households are left carrying the associated fee,” he mentioned.
“These sacrifices need to be spoken about in truth and with respect, as all of us stay united and constant to the defence of diplomacy and peace,” Harry added.
His feedback got here after Trump repeated claims downplaying the assistance NATO allies supplied in army operations in opposition to the Taliban following the Sept. 11 terror assaults on the U.S.
In an interview with Fox Information on Thursday in Davos, Switzerland — amid this week’s tensions with NATO over his efforts to amass Greenland — Trump mentioned, “We by no means wanted them.”
“We’ve got by no means actually requested something of them,” he mentioned.
Prince Harry sits within the entrance seat of the cockpit of an Apache Helicopter Pilot/Gunner on the British managed flight-line in Camp Bastion, October 31, 2012 in Afghanistan.
John Stillwell/WPA Pool by way of Getty Photos
“They will say they despatched some troops to Afghanistan and so they did, they stayed a little bit again, a little bit off the entrance traces,” Trump added.
In response to a request for touch upon the reactions from world leaders, White Home spokeswoman Taylor Rogers supplied a press release studying: “President Trump is totally proper — the USA of America has achieved extra for NATO than some other nation within the alliance has achieved mixed.”
Greater than 3,500 NATO troops died in Afghanistan, in keeping with icasualties.org, a web site that tracked fight deaths by nation. The vast majority of these — almost 2,500 — have been U.S. troops with 1000’s extra wounded.
However whereas Individuals took the heaviest hit, different international locations suffered comparable losses when it comes to per capita.
Britain, whose inhabitants is about one-fifth the dimensions of the U.S., says it misplaced greater than 457 troops within the battle whereas Denmark, whose inhabitants is 2% of the U.S., mentioned 44 of its troopers have been killed.
President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announce an settlement between the 2 international locations as they maintain a press convention convention at Chequers on the conclusion of a state go to, September 18, 2025 in Aylesbury, England.
Leon Neal/Getty Photos
Starmer instructed reporters Friday that Trump’s remarks have been “insulting and albeit, appalling.”
“I am not stunned they’ve brought on such damage to the family members of those that have been killed or injured. And in reality, throughout the nation,” the British chief mentioned.
Starmer paid tribute to the British personnel killed and wounded.
“I’ll always remember their braveness, their bravery and the sacrifice that they made for his or her nation,” he mentioned.
Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk additionally blasted Trump’s feedback in a submit on X on Friday. The nation misplaced 44 troopers in the course of the operations, in keeping with Poland’s Ministry of Nationwide Defence.
British Marines take cowl whereas blasting an entire in a wall throughout an anti-Taliban operation close to Kajaki within the Afghan province of Helmand, March 18, 2007.
John Moore/Getty Photos
“On December 22, 2011, in Ghazni, Afghanistan, I took half within the farewell ceremony for the 5 fallen Polish troopers. The American officers who accompanied me then, instructed me that America would always remember the Polish heroes. Maybe they’ll remind President Trump of that reality,” Tusk mentioned.
Trump has in current weeks repeated his declare that NATO international locations would not come to protection of the U.S., even though Denmark, specifically, fought alongside the U.S. after the 9/11 assaults.
President Donald Trump and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer announce an settlement between the 2 international locations as they maintain a press convention convention at Chequers on the conclusion of a state go to, September 18, 2025 in Aylesbury, England.
Leon Neal/Getty Photos
“The massive worry I’ve with NATO is we spend great quantities of cash with NATO, and I do know we’ll come to their rescue, however I simply actually do query whether or not or not they will come to ours,” Trump mentioned on Wednesday throughout his deal with on the World Financial Discussion board.
-ABC Information’ Zoe Magee, Karen Travers, Justin Fishel and Tierra Cunningham contributed to this report.
