Tehran- IRAF- Donald Trump, the U.S. President, who had previously described the role of non-U.S. NATO forces in Afghanistan as “understated” or “minimal,” appears to have somewhat retreated from his position amidst growing anger from European allies.
His initial remarks in an interview with Fox News, where he claimed NATO forces were “a little bit behind the front lines,” triggered a wave of criticism across Europe.
Following these reactions, Trump praised British soldiers on Saturday in a post on “Truth Social,” writing: “The great and very brave British soldiers will always be with the United States of America.”
This stance came a day after Keir Starmer, the British Prime Minister, had described Trump’s comments as “insulting and appalling.”
Concurrently with the post, a spokesperson for the British Prime Minister’s office announced that Starmer and Trump had discussed the matter during a phone call.
According to the spokesperson, during the call, the British Prime Minister honored American and British soldiers who fought side-by-side in Afghanistan, many of whom lost their lives, emphasizing the need to preserve their memory and respect their sacrifices.
However, Britain was not the only country to react to Trump’s initial statements. Giorgia Meloni, the Prime Minister of Italy, citing the deaths of 53 Italian soldiers and injuries to over 700 in Afghanistan, called the remarks unacceptable.
Donald Tusk, the Prime Minister of Poland, also reminded Trump not to forget the sacrifices of NATO allies, recalling the deaths of five Polish soldiers in 2011.
The office of Emmanuel Macron, the President of France, also stated that these remarks did not warrant a response and once again expressed gratitude to the families of approximately 90 French soldiers killed in Afghanistan.
The Prime Minister of Denmark, emphasizing the high casualties suffered by his country’s forces, also deemed it unacceptable to question the commitment of NATO allies in Afghanistan.
In contrast, the White House defended Trump’s position. A spokesperson for the institution stated that the United States has borne more costs and responsibilities within NATO than any other country.
These tensions occur at a time when transatlantic relations had previously faced crises due to Trump’s threats regarding Greenland and the imposition of trade tariffs against Europe; crises that the White House appears to have tried to de-escalate in recent days.
