The Japan Times - Trump praises UK troops as row over his NATO comments grows

But other European countries have also reacted sharply to his comments discounting what NATO troops did in Afghanistan, with French President Emmanuel Macron the latest to comment Saturday.

Trump had claimed NATO sent "some troops" but "stayed a little back, a little off the front lines", in an interview with Fox News aired on Thursday.

He also repeated his suggestion that the alliance would not come to the aid of the United States if asked to do so.

On Saturday however, a day after British Prime Minister Keir Starmer condemned his remarks as "appalling", he appeared to have changed position -- at least as far as British troops were concerned.

"The GREAT and very BRAVE soldiers of the United Kingdom will always be with the United States of America!" Trump said on his Truth Social platform.

"In Afghanistan, 457 died, many were badly injured, and they were among the greatest of all warriors. It’s a bond too strong to ever be broken."

- 'Unacceptable' -

But Britain was not the only NATO ally to have expressed anger at Trump's earlier remarks.

"I fully understand that Danish veterans have said no words can describe how much this hurts," Danish Prime Minister Mette said Saturday on Facebook.

"It is unacceptable that the American president questions the commitment of allied soldiers in Afghanistan," she added.

"Denmark is one of the NATO countries that has suffered the highest losses per capita," the Danish prime minister pointed out.

The country's population was about 5.4 million in 2003 and, according to the Danish news agency Ritzau, around 12,000 Danish soldiers and civilians were sent to Afghanistan over the years.

"These unacceptable comments are not worthy of response," the office of French President Emmanuel Macron said Saturday of Trump's dismissive remarks.

"It is to the families of fallen soldiers that the Head of State wishes to offer comfort and reiterate the nation's gratitude."

Some 90 French soldiers died in Afghanistan, according to the French government.

Already on Friday, Starmer said: "I consider President Trump's remarks to be insulting and frankly, appalling, and I'm not surprised they've caused such hurt to the loved ones of those who were killed or injured."

The White House initially rejected Starmer's comments, defending Trump.

"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," Taylor Rogers, a White House spokeswoman, said in a statement sent to AFP.

- A 'heavy price' -

Following the 9/11 attacks, Britain and a number of other allies joined the United States from 2001 in Afghanistan after Washington -- for the first time -- invoked NATO's collective security clause.

As well as Britain, Denmark and France, troops from other NATO ally countries including Canada, Germany and Italy were also killed.

"Let us honour the 53 Italian soldiers who fell during the mission in Afghanistan," Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said in a post on X on Saturday.

German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius recalled the "heavy price" his country paid, stressing that "our army was ready when our American allies asked for support" in 2001.

"Many wounded are still suffering today from the physical and psychological consequences of that period," he added.

The Danish Veterans' Association said it was "at a loss for words" over Trump's claims.

"Denmark has always stood by the United States, and we have shown up in crisis zones around the world when the United States asked us to," said a statement from the association.

Danish veterans are calling for a silent march in Copenhagen on January 31 to protest Trump's remarks.

Trump's comments follow a bruising transatlantic crisis over his threats to seize Greenland -- an autonomous Danish territory -- now seemingly defused.

The US president on Wednesday backed away from threatened tariffs on Europe for opposing his claims on the Arctic island.

K.Inoue--JT