Starmer Demands Trump Apologize for Devaluing NATO Sacrifices

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer asks US President Trump to apologize for claims that NATO, excluding Americans, avoided Afghanistan's front lines. Trump's remarks stirred outrage in the UK, disrespecting the sacrifice of British troops who lost lives in the Afghan war, provoking calls for an apology.

In a fierce political exchange, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has demanded an apology from U.S. President Donald Trump for his remarks downplaying NATO contributions during the Afghanistan war. Trump had claimed that troops from countries other than the U.S. had stayed away from frontline duties.

Starmer expressed his dismay at Trump's comments, which provoked widespread resentment across the United Kingdom. He paid tribute to the 457 British personnel who died in Afghanistan, insisting that such sacrifices should never be trivialized. This rhetorical discord emerged following Trump's controversial interview at Davos, where he questioned NATO's reliability.

The controversy intensified with Trump's history of alleged draft dodging during Vietnam, raising questions about his credibility. The former UK soldier and author Stephen Stewart identified Trump's statements as ironic and deeply unsettling, prompting further trans-Atlantic tensions and ongoing NATO controversies.

(With inputs from agencies.)