Trump said the United States “never really needed NATO” and alleged that while allied countries sent troops to Afghanistan, they “stayed away from primary combat.” The comments were widely condemned in Europe, where leaders said they misrepresented the reality of the war and disrespected those who fought and died alongside US forces.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described Trump’s remarks as “disgraceful and shocking,” saying they had caused deep pain to families of soldiers killed or wounded in Afghanistan. “If I had made a statement so detached from the truth, I would apologise,” Starmer said, noting that Britain lost 457 service personnel in the conflict, its deadliest overseas war since the 1950s.
The criticism extended beyond political leaders. Prince Harry, who served two tours in Afghanistan as an Apache helicopter pilot, said the sacrifices of NATO troops must be remembered “with truth and respect.” In a statement, he stressed that allied forces responded after NATO invoked Article 5 following the September 11 attacks, marking the alliance’s first and only collective defence action.
European officials echoed similar sentiments. Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel called Trump’s comments “false,” while Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said Poland’s losses could never be underestimated. Retired Polish general Roman Polko said the remarks crossed a line, adding that allied troops “shed blood together, and not all returned home.”
Former British intelligence chief Richard Moore also weighed in, saying UK and US officers worked side by side on high-risk missions and that America remained Britain’s closest ally despite the remarks. Britain’s Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey criticised Trump for questioning others’ service, pointing to his past draft deferments during the Vietnam War.
NATO conducted two major missions in Afghanistan: the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) from 2001 to 2014, and the Resolute Support Mission from 2015 to 2021. At its peak, ISAF included more than 130,000 troops from 51 NATO and partner nations. Casualties included hundreds of soldiers from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Poland and Denmark.
Trump’s comments have also reignited concerns over his long-standing scepticism toward NATO. He has repeatedly accused European countries of underfunding defence and has suggested the US could withdraw from the alliance if members fail to meet spending targets.
For European leaders, the backlash reflects more than diplomatic disagreement. It underscores fears about the future of transatlantic security ties and a determination to defend the historical record of a war fought jointly, at significant human cost.
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