Donald Trump has retreated from earlier comments questioning the role of British troops in Afghanistan, following concerns understood to have been relayed to the White House on behalf of the King. The intervention is reported to have taken place through diplomatic channels ahead of a planned visit by the monarch to the United States in April, marking the country’s 250th anniversary of independence.
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The US president had previously suggested that some American allies did not operate on the front line during the conflict. However, in a subsequent statement, Mr Trump described British forces as “among the greatest of all warriors” and acknowledged that 457 UK service personnel were killed during operations in Afghanistan. The remarks marked a clear shift from comments made earlier in the week during an interview with Fox News.
The issue also drew responses from senior UK figures, including Prince Harry, who served in Afghanistan and said the sacrifices of British soldiers should be discussed “truthfully and with respect”. Sir Keir Starmer later raised the matter directly with Mr Trump in a phone call, during which both leaders referred to British and American troops who fought alongside one another. Following the conversation, the president issued a public statement praising British soldiers.
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The episode unfolded against wider tensions between the US and Nato allies, amid disputes over defence commitments and trade. Britain suffered the second-highest number of military fatalities in Afghanistan after the United States, with more than 3,500 coalition soldiers killed before the US withdrawal in 2021. Buckingham Palace declined to comment on the matter.
