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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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'The ultimate insult': Trump downplaying NATO's Afghanistan involvement causes distress in UK
U.S. President Donald Trump has provoked outrage and distress in the U.K. with his suggestion that troops from NATO countries stayed away from the frontline during the war in Afghanistan. In an interview in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday, Trump said…
US President Donald Trump says that NATO soldiers in Afghanistan "stayed a little bit behind, a little bit away from the front lines". This is happening in an interview with Fox News. Several British politicians have expressed anger over...
·Aarhus, Denmark
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Coverage Details
Total News Sources41
Leaning Left11Leaning Right8Center11Last UpdatedBias Distribution37% Left, 36% Center
Bias Distribution
- 37% of the sources lean Left, 36% of the sources are Center
37% Left
L 37%
C 36%
R 27%
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