Overview
- In a Jan. 22 Fox News interview, President Trump said NATO allies stayed away from the front lines in Afghanistan and that the United States never needed them.
- Following a call with U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Jan. 24, Trump lauded the “great and very brave soldiers of the United Kingdom,” stopping short of an apology.
- France’s Emmanuel Macron, Denmark’s Mette Frederiksen, Italy’s leadership, and Polish officials criticized the comments and stressed respect for veterans.
- NATO leadership disputed Trump’s characterization, while the White House said the United States has contributed more to the alliance than any other member.
- Records cited across governments and independent trackers list 457 British, about 158 Canadian, 89 French, and 44 Danish fatalities alongside more than 2,400 American deaths, and Danish veterans plan a silent march in Copenhagen on Jan. 31.