Donald Trump has issued a statement praising British troops as 'great and very brave' after sparking outrage by claiming they avoided the front line in Afghanistan. The US President said the UK military is 'second to none' and acknowledged the 457 British soldiers who died in the conflict.
Earlier this week, Trump's comments in a Fox News interview drew condemnation from Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who called them 'insulting and frankly appalling'. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch also criticised the remarks, calling them 'complete nonsense', but later welcomed Trump's backtrack.
Sir Keir raised the issue directly with Trump in a phone call, stressing the need to remember the sacrifice of British and American soldiers. The two leaders also discussed Ukraine and Arctic security.
Prince Harry, who served two tours in Afghanistan, joined the criticism, saying sacrifices 'deserve to be spoken about truthfully and with respect'. Veterans and families of the fallen expressed hurt and anger at the initial remarks.
