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Trump under fire for claiming NATO allies avoided Afghanistan frontline
Trump accused NATO allies of avoiding frontline combat in Afghanistan and doubted their defense commitment, despite 1,160 allied deaths in the conflict, including 457 British fatalities.
- President Donald Trump told Fox News on January 22, 2026 that NATO troops `stayed a little back, a little off the front lines` in Afghanistan and said he was `not sure` they would be there if needed.
- Amid long-standing complaints about burden-sharing, President Donald Trump framed his remarks as criticism of NATO's reliability and questioned allies' willingness to defend the US.
- Official records show the United Kingdom lost 457 service personnel, Denmark 44 troops—the highest per capita—and coalition forces suffered 1,160 non-American deaths in Afghanistan.
- Veterans and British politicians condemned Trump’s remarks; Dame Emily Thornberry called it an 'insult' and asked `How dare he say we weren't on the front line, how dare he`,
- Analysts warn the comments could strain NATO ties as more than 3,500 coalition forces died by 2021, raising concerns over NATO Article 5's mutual-defense principle.
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After Trump's interview with Fox News, British and Polish politicians and veterans sharply criticise his statements on Nato's actions.
UK hits back after Trump claims NATO troops avoided front lines in Afghanistan
The UK on Thursday said Donald Trump was "wrong to diminish" NATO's role in Afghanistan after the US president suggested allied troops were not on the front lines, sparking outrage in the country and among families of the hundreds of British soldiers killed in the war.
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