President Trump has issued massive praise for the soldiers of the United Kingdom, calling them “great and very brave” warriors, just days after facing intense international backlash for suggesting NATO allies avoided the front lines in Afghanistan. This quick reversal shows just how much heat the president was under for his words, and frankly, it was a necessary step after some pretty damaging comments about our allies.
The president took to Truth Social on Saturday to clarify his position, making sure to highlight the incredible sacrifice the U.K. made. He emphatically noted that 457 of their soldiers died and many were badly injured during the conflict. President Trump emphasized that the U.K. forces “were among the greatest of all warriors.”
According to Fox, he even added that the bond between the two nations is “too strong to ever be broken.” He concluded by saying the U.K. Military, with its “tremendous Heart and Soul, is second to none (except for the U.S.A.!). We love you all, and always will!”
Trump seems to be changing his tune
So, why the sudden need for such effusive praise? It’s because President Trump had previously criticized NATO allies who served alongside the U.S. in Afghanistan. During an interview, he suggested that while these nations did send troops, they “stayed a little back, little off the front lines.” Yikes.
That’s a tough thing to hear when you’re talking about countries that fought and died alongside U.S. troops. In my opinion, comments like that are awful for international relations, especially when dealing with such close allies.
Predictably, the initial statement caused outrage across the pond. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer didn’t mince words, describing the comments as “insulting and frankly, appalling.” Starmer wasn’t going to let that slide. His office confirmed that the prime minister raised the issue directly with President Trump during a phone call over the weekend. A spokesperson for Starmer stressed that we must never forget the sacrifice of the heroic British and American soldiers who fought “side by side in Afghanistan, many of whom never returned home.”
The criticism wasn’t just coming from political leaders, either. Prince Harry, who is someone who actually served two tours in Afghanistan, also delivered a direct rebuke. Harry spoke personally about his experience, noting, “I served there. I made lifelong friends there. And I lost friends there.” He made it clear that those sacrifices absolutely deserve to be spoken about “truthfully and with respect, as we all remain united and loyal to the defense of diplomacy and peace.”
When someone with that kind of service record weighs in, you know the original comments landed badly. This whole scramble for clarification happened right as President Trump wrapped up a state visit with Prime Minister Starmer in Aylesbury, England, on September 18, 2025. You’ve got to imagine that the original slight made those diplomatic meetings pretty awkward.
It seems the president realized he needed to walk back the original criticism quickly to repair the damage to the U.K. relationship and honor the sacrifice of the soldiers.
Published: Jan 26, 2026 10:42 am