President Donald Trump praised British soldiers on Saturday after remarks he made about NATO forces in Afghanistan triggered sharp backlash from European allies and veterans.
The comments, delivered in a Thursday interview, suggested that non-American NATO troops had stayed off the front lines during the war, prompting condemnation from political leaders in Britain and beyond.
The episode added strain to already tense trans-Atlantic relations, as Trump has questioned the value of NATO and criticized Europe in recent public appearances.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer raised the issue directly with Trump in a phone call on Saturday, according to Downing Street.
Trump’s initial remarks, made during a Fox Business interview, drew fierce criticism for dismissing the combat role of allied forces in Afghanistan.
Starmer described the comments as “insulting and frankly, appalling,” while British veterans and European officials echoed the rebuke.
In response, Trump published a message on Truth Social praising British forces and acknowledging their losses during the conflict.
“The GREAT and very BRAVE soldiers of the United Kingdom will always be with the United States of America!” he wrote.
He stopped short of issuing a direct apology for his earlier statements.
Britain lost 457 service personnel in Afghanistan, while the United States lost about 2,460 troops, with additional casualties among Canadian, French, and Danish forces.
Prince Harry, who served two tours in Afghanistan, said sacrifices by allied troops “deserve to be spoken about truthfully and with respect.”
Starmer’s office said the prime minister emphasized the shared sacrifices of British and American forces who fought side by side in Afghanistan.
The war followed the September 11, 2001 attacks, after which NATO invoked Article 5 for the first and only time to date.
Trump’s remarks compounded broader tensions with European allies, already unsettled by his criticism of NATO, his comments at the World Economic Forum, and disputes such as his push to acquire Greenland.
While Trump’s praise was welcomed by some, the episode underscored lingering friction over the alliance’s role and the legacy of the Afghanistan war.