Washington [US], January 24: US President Donald Trump sparked outrage among NATO allies in Europe when he suggested that their soldiers were not being deployed to the front lines in Afghanistan.
In an interview with Fox News in Davos, Switzerland, on January 22, President Trump expressed doubt that NATO allies would be there to provide support if the U.S. needed it.
"We never needed them. We never really asked anything from them. You know, they said they were going to send some troops to Afghanistan , or somewhere else. And they've been a little bit behind the front lines," Trump said.
This statement was the final straw after days of tension between the US and Europe, as the leader repeatedly demanded ownership of Greenland, territory of ally Denmark.
In fact, to date, the United States is the first and only country to activate the collective defense mechanism stipulated in Article 5 of NATO . This was after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, according to CNN.
At that time, Britain and many European countries sent troops to Afghanistan to fight alongside the United States. Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Denmark, and many other countries also had soldiers killed in the conflict. Of the approximately 3,500 allied soldiers killed, 2,456 were American.
Allies react
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer reacted strongly on January 23rd, demanding an apology from President Trump . "I begin by remembering the 457 of our servicemen who lost their lives in Afghanistan. Many more were wounded, some with life-changing injuries, and so I see President Trump's remarks as offensive and, frankly, appalling, and I am not surprised that they have caused such grief to the loved ones of those who died or were wounded," Starmer said.
Prince Harry of the UK, who was deployed to Afghanistan twice, also issued a statement saying that the sacrifices of NATO soldiers deserve respect.
"Those who sacrificed deserve to be remembered with honesty and respect, while we remain united and committed to defending diplomacy and peace," Prince Harry urged.
Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz also called for respect for Polish veterans who have served their country and pledged allegiance to their allies. Poland lost 43 soldiers in the conflict in Afghanistan.
French Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin said that 90 French soldiers had died in Afghanistan fighting alongside NATO allies and many others had been wounded, and demanded that they be respected.
Many British politicians and veterans also spoke out against Trump's remarks. In response, the White House defended the president and refuted the British Prime Minister's comments.
"President Trump was absolutely right. The United States has contributed more to NATO than all the other countries in the alliance combined," White House spokesman Taylor Rogers said.
Earlier, in June 2025, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth also made remarks downplaying the contributions of NATO allies in Afghanistan, according to CNN. At the time, the secretary stated that his colleagues in Afghanistan often joked that the ISAF (International Security Assistance Force) insignia on their shoulders actually meant "I saw Americans fighting." "Ultimately, it's just a lot of flags, not a lot of real capabilities on the ground," Hegseth said dismissively.
Source: Thanh Nien Newspaper
