Keir Starmer Slams Donald Trump After 'Disrespectful' Claims About British Troops
Donald Trump has ignited a political and moral storm in the UK after suggesting that Nato allies 'stayed a little off the front lines' during the war in Afghanistan. His remarks, questioning whether European allies would stand by the US in a time of need, have drawn furious responses from across the political spectrum and from those who served on the ground.Downing Street swiftly rejected Trump's version of events. A spokesman for Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the former US president was 'wrong' to claim Nato forces hung back from the most dangerous fighting, stressing that British troops were fully engaged alongside American forces throughout the conflict following the 9/11 attacks.The UK was among the first allies to answer Washington's call when Nato's collective defence clause was invoked in 2001. Over the next two decades, 457 British service personnel were killed in Afghanistan. For many in Westminster and the armed forces community, Trump's suggestion that allies kept their distance is not just inaccurate but a profound insult to the dead and the living.
Keir Starmer Donald Trump Row Deepens Over Nato 'Front Line' ClaimsThe Labour leader's office condemned the remarks in unusually blunt terms, making clear that Britain rejects any attempt to downplay its role. Starmer's spokesperson said Trump was 'wrong to diminish the role of Nato troops, including British forces, in Afghanistan following the 9/11 attacks on the US'.The criticism has been echoed by senior figures in other parties. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch described Trump's comments as a 'disgrace', warning that 'we mustn't have these sort of throwaway comments that actually weaken the strong relationship' between Nato allies. Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey went further, branding the remarks a 'huge insult to our brave soldiers' and urging the prime minister to demand a formal apology.Even Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, usually one of Trump's most vocal supporters in Britain, broke ranks. 'Donald Trump is wrong,' he said, in a rare rebuke that underlined how isolated the former president is on this issue among UK political leaders.Armed forces minister Al Carns also weighed in, describing Trump's claims as 'utterly ridiculous' and a 'real shame'. For a government that has consistently framed support for Nato as central to Britain's security, the episode is being seen in Westminster as both a test of allied solidarity and a reminder of the heavy price UK forces paid in Afghanistan.Veterans Fuel Keir Starmer Donald Trump Backlash Over 'Disrespectful' RemarksWhile politicians argue over diplomatic fallout, many of the strongest responses have come from those who actually served.Corporal Andy Reid, who lost limbs while serving in Afghanistan and now speaks widely on veterans' issues, told the BBC that Trump's claim was 'very disrespectful'. He added: 'Not a day goes by when we are not in some kind of pain physically or mentally, reflecting on that conflict.' For Reid and countless others, the suggestion that British forces hung back from danger bears no resemblance to their own experience of patrols, firefights and roadside bombs.Another veteran, identified only as Vic, spoke to the BBC after choosing not to use his full name. He spent 36 years in the military, including 22 years with special forces, and now works with veterans' charities. Vic served in Afghanistan and recalls 'coordinating with the Americans' on operations. 'To say we weren't at the pointy end is a total lie,' he said, adding that he was 'pretty disgusted' by Trump's comments. Yet he admitted he was doubtful that veterans would ever receive the apology many now feel they deserve.Former Army chief Lord Richard Dannatt has also entered the debate, calling Trump's remarks 'factually incoherent' and 'absolutely disrespectful'. He argued that Europe 'must do more' for its own defence, and suggested Trump's statements over the past year since he was elected only underscored that point. For Dannatt, however, the need for Europe to shoulder more responsibility cannot be used to rewrite the historical record of what British and other Nato troops actually did in Afghanistan.Taken together, the reaction illustrates a rare moment of unity in British politics. From Labour to the Conservatives, from the Liberal Democrats to Reform UK, and from the Commons to the veterans' community, there is a shared determination to challenge any suggestion that British troops stood back while others took the risks. For the families of the 457 personnel who never came home, and for those still living with the physical and psychological scars of the conflict, that record is not up for debate.
