British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has publicly challenged US President Donald Trump to apologize for his controversial remarks about NATO troops in Afghanistan, describing the comments as “insulting and frankly appalling.”

In a rare direct rebuke of the US leader, Starmer addressed Trump’s earlier claim on Fox News that European allies remained “a little off the front lines” during the Afghanistan war.

Asked if he would demand an apology, Starmer said, “If I had misspoken in that way or said those words, I would certainly apologise.”

The UK leader also paid tribute to the 457 British service members who lost their lives following the 2001 US-led invasion of Afghanistan, launched after the September 11 attacks.

The White House dismissed Starmer’s criticism, with spokeswoman Taylor Rogers stating, “President Trump is absolutely right – the United States of America has done more for NATO than any other country in the alliance has done combined.”

Trump’s remarks followed his withdrawal of a threatened tariff on European countries opposing his proposal for the US to acquire Greenland, a semi-autonomous Danish territory.

The human cost of Afghanistan War

Over 150,000 UK armed forces personnel served in Afghanistan, making Britain the coalition’s second-largest contributor. More than 150 Canadians, 90 French soldiers, and dozens from Germany, Italy, and other NATO countries were killed. Denmark lost 44 personnel, and the US suffered over 2,400 casualties.

Civilian casualties were devastating as well, with at least 46,319 Afghan civilians dying directly as a result of the 2001 invasion, according to the Brown University Costs of War project.

European allies

Trump’s comments provoked outrage across Europe. Dutch Foreign Minister David van Weel condemned the remarks as “untrue and disrespectful,” while Polish Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz reaffirmed Poland’s reliability as an ally.

UK’s Prince Harry also weighed in, emphasizing that the “sacrifices” of British soldiers deserve to be “spoken about truthfully and with respect.” Harry, a former Army officer who served two tours in Afghanistan, highlighted that “thousands of lives were changed forever” by the conflict.

The controversy has strained US-Europe relations, particularly after Trump threatened tariffs over Greenland. Although he later met with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte to form a framework for Arctic security, his remarks about European troops in Afghanistan continue to draw criticism and raise questions about the future cohesion of the alliance.