Sir Keir Starmer has described President Donald Trump’s remarks about British troops in Afghanistan as “insulting and frankly appalling”.
On Thursday, Trump said that US allies stayed “a little off the front lines” in the conflict and claimed he was not sure Nato “would be there” if the US needed it.
Starmer said if he himself had “mispoken in that way”, he would “certainly apologise”.
Trump’s words sparked international outrage as the UK and other nations joined the US in Afghanistan after Nato’s collective security clause was invoked following the 9/11 attacks. During the conflict, 457 British service personnel were killed.
“I will never forget their courage, their bravery and the sacrifice they made for their country,” Starmer said.
“There were many also who were injured, some with life-changing injuries.
“I consider President Trump’s remarks to be insulting and frankly appalling and I am not surprised they have caused such hurt to the loved ones of those who were killed or injured and, in fact, across the country.”
Starmer was reacting to an interview Trump gave to Fox News where he said: “We’ve never needed them. We have never really asked anything of them.
“They’ll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan… and they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the front lines.”
ReutersTrump’s remarks drew condemnation from across the UK’s political divide, with critics pointing to the number of UK deaths in Afghanistan and highlighting Trump’s avoidance of military service in Vietnam.
The only time Nato’s mutual defence arrangement – Article 5 – has ever been invoked was after the terrorist attacks on America in September 2001.
The following month the US invaded Afghanistan to oust the Taliban, whom they said were harbouring Osama Bin Laden and other al-Qaeda figures linked to the 9/11 attacks. Nato nations contributed troops and military equipment to the US-led war.
More than 3,500 coalition soldiers had died, about two-thirds of them Americans, as of 2021 when the US withdrew from the country. The UK suffered the second-highest number of military deaths in the conflict behind the US, which saw 2,461 fatalities.
Most of the 457 British troops who died serving in Afghanistan over a period of nearly 20 years were killed in Helmand – the scene of the heaviest fighting.
Hundreds more suffered injuries and lost limbs – including Cpl Andy Reid who lost both his legs and his right arm after stepping on an improvised explosive device (IED) in Afghanistan.
“Not a day goes by when we’re not in some kind of pain, physically or mentally reflecting on that conflict,” he told BBC Breakfast.
Reid recalled working with American soldiers during his time in Afghanistan, adding: “If they were on the front line and I was stood next to them, clearly we were on the front line as well.”
GettyDiane Dernie, whose son Ben Parkinson suffered severe injuries when an Army Land Rover hit a mine near Musa Qala in 2006, said Trump’s words were “so insulting” and hard to hear.
The 41-year-old is currently recuperating after another operation, but Dernie told the BBC that Trump’s comments showed “a childish man trying to deflect from his own actions”.
Dernie called on Starmer to “stand up for his own armed forces” and call out the US president.
Her comments were put to the prime minister who replied: “I’ve made my position clear, and what I say to Diane is, if I had misspoken in that way or said those words, I would certainly apologise and I’d apologise to her.”
Giving a second interview to the BBC moments after Starmer’s statement, Dernie said the prime minister’s words were strong enough – but said he should go further.
“His words were exactly what we wanted to hear, but we need those words to be addressed directly to the president,” Dernie said. “I appreciate what Starmer has said, but they need to be said to Donald Trump.”
Throughout Friday, the leaders of the main Westminster political parties gave their reaction to Trump’s comments.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said: “I spoke to parents of young men who have lost their lives. It is a disgrace to denigrate their memory like that.
“There is too much careless talk from President Trump. He clearly doesn’t know the history of what happened. We must not have these sorts of throwaway remarks.”
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey criticised the US president’s remarks and said: “Trump avoided military service five times. How dare he question their sacrifice.”
Trump received five deferments from a military draft during the Vietnam War – four for academic reasons and one for bone spurs, a calcium build-up in the heels.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said: “Donald Trump is wrong. For 20 years our armed forces fought bravely alongside America’s in Afghanistan.”
During his second term in office, Trump has repeatedly criticised Nato, often accusing its member states of not spending enough on defence.
In the last few weeks, Trump has made comments about acquiring Greenland – a semi-autonomous territory of fellow Nato ally Denmark.
Trump’s repeated remarks over ownership, threats of military action and tariffs against traditional European allies have rattled the transatlantic treaty.
On Friday – before Starmer called on the US president to apologise – the White House released a statement sticking by Trump’s long-held view on Nato.
The White House said: “President Trump is right – America’s contributions to Nato dwarf that of other countries, and his success in delivering a 5% spending pledge from Nato allies is helping Europe take greater responsibility for its own defense.
“The United States is the only Nato partner who can protect Greenland, and the president is advancing Nato interests in doing so.”
The White House is yet to comment on Starmer’s call for an apology.
