U.S. President Donald Trump has said that the United States had “never needed” NATO, criticising the alliance’s involvement in Afghanistan and questioning whether it would come to Washington’s aid if required.
Speaking to a U.S. media outlet, Trump said NATO allies had sent troops to Afghanistan but stayed “a little off the front lines.”
The remarks drew sharp responses from allies. A spokesperson for UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Trump was “wrong” to suggest that North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) troops avoided frontline combat during the Afghanistan war.
UK Minister Stephen Kinnock also described the comments as “disappointing and wrong,” noting that many European soldiers lost their lives while supporting U.S.-led missions.
Meanwhile, a former Polish general has demanded an apology over Trump’s remarks, saying the comments crossed a red line and stressing that Polish forces had shed blood in support of the NATO alliance.
Photo: U.S. President Donald Trump addresses the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland, on January 21, 2026.
