Sir Keir Starmer Demands Trump Apology Over NATO Troops

On Friday 23 January 2026, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer publicly demanded an apology from former US President Donald Trump after Trump described NATO troops in Afghanistan as having “stayed a little off the front lines.” Starmer, who had hosted Danish Foreign Minister Mette Frederiksen at Chequers for talks on Greenland and NATO, criticised the remarks as “frankly appalling.” 1,160 non‑US coalition soldiers were killed in Afghanistan, with thousands wounded; 457 British soldiers died alongside US forces. The incident has inflamed UK‑US relations and prompted Starmer to call for greater European engagement while condemning Trump’s inflammatory stance. Starmer’s rebuke came as U.S. officials warned that trivialising coalition sacrifices would damage the special relationship, and he expressed that the UK must reaffirm its commitment to NATO and collective defence.