No apology just stating facts - Dodo Donald corrects himself (yet again)
British soldiers are ‘great and brave’: Trump backtracks on Afghanistan slur.
US president says British military is ‘second to none’ after comment on veterans provokes anger.
Donald Trump says British troops were 'among the greatest of all warriors'
Donald Trump has backtracked on claims British troops stayed away from the front line in Afghanistan after anger over his “appalling” comments.
In a statement on Truth Social the US president said that British troops were “among the greatest of all warriors” and were “GREAT and very BRAVE”.
He added that the bond between the British and American military was “too strong ever to be broken”.
Mr Trump issued the statement hours after Sir Keir Starmer confronted him directly on the phone over his comments about British military staff.
On Thursday Mr Trump told Fox News that he was “not sure” America’s military allies would support the United States “if we ever needed them”.
Speaking about the US’s global partners, Mr Trump said: “We’ve never needed them. We’ve 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 line.”
Prince Harry – who served in Afghanistan – responded to the president’s remarks, saying that the “sacrifices” of British soldiers must be “spoken about truthfully and with respect”.
Sir Keir also published a video calling Mr Trump’s remarks “insulting and frankly appalling”.
Kemi Badenoch, Nigel Farage and Sir Ed Davey also condemned the remarks.
On Saturday afternoon the Prime Minister spoke to Mr Trump on the phone, raising his concerns in a discussion that touched on “the brave and heroic British and American soldiers who fought side by side in Afghanistan, many of whom never returned home”.
‘Bond too strong to be broken’
After the call, Mr Trump released a public statement honouring the “GREAT and very BRAVE soldiers of the United Kingdom”.
He said: “In Afghanistan, 457 died, many were badly injured, and they were among the greatest of all warriors. It’s a bond too strong to ever be broken.
“The UK Military with tremendous Heart and Soul is second to none (except for the USA!). We love you all, and always will!”
Mrs Badenoch, the Conservative leader, said: “I’m pleased President Trump has now acknowledged the role of the British armed forces and those brave men and women who gave their lives fighting alongside the US and our allies.
“It should never have been questioned in the first place.”
Prince Harry declined to comment on Mr Trump’s latest statement. However, a friend noted that the US President had not apologised, nor had he mentioned any of the other Nato countries that had served on the front line, incurring between them hundreds of deaths.
The US invaded Afghanistan in October 2001 to oust the Taliban, who they claimed were harbouring Osama bin Laden after the 9/11 terror attacks.
Britain suffered the second-highest number of military deaths in the conflict, sacrificing 457 troops, while the US saw 2,461 fatalities.
More than 3,500 coalition soldiers were killed in Afghanistan, before the US withdrew in 2021.
No 10 said that the two leaders also discussed “the need for bolstered security in the Arctic”, which Sir Keir said “was an absolute priority for his Government”, in their afternoon call.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/01/24/trump-backtracks-on-afghanistan/
US president says British military is ‘second to none’ after comment on veterans provokes anger.
Donald Trump says British troops were 'among the greatest of all warriors'
Donald Trump has backtracked on claims British troops stayed away from the front line in Afghanistan after anger over his “appalling” comments.
In a statement on Truth Social the US president said that British troops were “among the greatest of all warriors” and were “GREAT and very BRAVE”.
He added that the bond between the British and American military was “too strong ever to be broken”.
Mr Trump issued the statement hours after Sir Keir Starmer confronted him directly on the phone over his comments about British military staff.
On Thursday Mr Trump told Fox News that he was “not sure” America’s military allies would support the United States “if we ever needed them”.
Speaking about the US’s global partners, Mr Trump said: “We’ve never needed them. We’ve 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 line.”
Prince Harry – who served in Afghanistan – responded to the president’s remarks, saying that the “sacrifices” of British soldiers must be “spoken about truthfully and with respect”.
Sir Keir also published a video calling Mr Trump’s remarks “insulting and frankly appalling”.
Kemi Badenoch, Nigel Farage and Sir Ed Davey also condemned the remarks.
On Saturday afternoon the Prime Minister spoke to Mr Trump on the phone, raising his concerns in a discussion that touched on “the brave and heroic British and American soldiers who fought side by side in Afghanistan, many of whom never returned home”.
‘Bond too strong to be broken’
After the call, Mr Trump released a public statement honouring the “GREAT and very BRAVE soldiers of the United Kingdom”.
He said: “In Afghanistan, 457 died, many were badly injured, and they were among the greatest of all warriors. It’s a bond too strong to ever be broken.
“The UK Military with tremendous Heart and Soul is second to none (except for the USA!). We love you all, and always will!”
Mrs Badenoch, the Conservative leader, said: “I’m pleased President Trump has now acknowledged the role of the British armed forces and those brave men and women who gave their lives fighting alongside the US and our allies.
“It should never have been questioned in the first place.”
Prince Harry declined to comment on Mr Trump’s latest statement. However, a friend noted that the US President had not apologised, nor had he mentioned any of the other Nato countries that had served on the front line, incurring between them hundreds of deaths.
The US invaded Afghanistan in October 2001 to oust the Taliban, who they claimed were harbouring Osama bin Laden after the 9/11 terror attacks.
Britain suffered the second-highest number of military deaths in the conflict, sacrificing 457 troops, while the US saw 2,461 fatalities.
More than 3,500 coalition soldiers were killed in Afghanistan, before the US withdrew in 2021.
No 10 said that the two leaders also discussed “the need for bolstered security in the Arctic”, which Sir Keir said “was an absolute priority for his Government”, in their afternoon call.
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/01/24/trump-backtracks-on-afghanistan/
