Nato allies were with the US from the startpublished at 12:10 GMT 23 January

12:10 GMT 23 January

Jonathan Beale
Defence correspondent

For President Trump to suggest that America’s allies were not fighting on the front line in Afghanistan is not just an insult, it’s simply untrue.

Nato allies were with the US from the start - soon after the attacks on New York on the 11 September 2001. Those attacks remain the only time that Nato has invoked Article 5 - stating that an attack on one ally is deemed an attack on all.

Nato allies remained in Afghanistan when the US turned its attention to its subsequent war in Iraq. They were still there when the Taliban insurgency grew.

Far from staying away from the front line, Britain and Canada placed troops in the most dangerous provinces of all - the Taliban heartlands of Helmand and Kandahar. In Helmand, the scene of the heaviest fighting, British troops were joined by Danish and Estonian soldiers. All suffered casualties in the heat of battle.

Most of the 457 British troops who died serving in Afghanistan over a period of nearly 20 years were killed in Helmand. Hundreds more suffered injuries and lost limbs. They are still living with the consequences today.

One of them, Ben McBean, wrote on social media: “As I sit here with two limbs missing, friends gone, trying to keep it all together for my family, it’s infuriating to hear this come out of Donald Trump’s mouth".

Al Carns - now a defence minister - served tours in Afghanistan as a Royal Marine. Government ministers have tended to be more careful when talking about the US president, but Carns has posted a video to make his views known. He refers to the president’s insulting, inaccurate remarks as “a real shame".

Here is some more detail on those remarks from Downing Street.

The Prime Minister's official spokesman says that Trump was "wrong to diminish the role of Nato troops, including British forces, in Afghanistan following the 9/11 attacks on the US".

The spokesman adds that 457 British personnel died in Afghanistan and others wounded, with "many hundreds" suffering "life-changing injuries from their service alongside the US and our allies in Afghanistan".

"Their sacrifice and that of other Nato forces was made in the service of collective security and in response to an attack on our ally," she spokesman says.

"We are incredibly proud of our armed forces and their service and sacrifice will never be forgotten."

We can now bring some comments from Downing Street, reacting to Donald Trump's interview with Fox in the US.

It says Trump was "wrong to diminish" the role of Nato and British troops in Afghanistan.

Armed forces minister Al Carns says Trump's comments on Nato troops are a "real shame" and "utterly ridiculous".

The Labour MP, who served several tours in Afghanistan, posted a video on X on Friday referring to the remarks, though he does not mention the president by name.

He says "the world rallied to the support of the US" after the 9/11 terror attack.

"Our agencies, our forces, our politicians - we all stood together shoulder to shoulder and responded," he adds in a video posted on X.

"Frankly this is utterly ridiculous," he says, pointing out that "many courageous and honourable service personnel from many nations" served and fought.

He explains that he shed blood, sweat and tears with US colleagues in Afghanistan and "not everybody came home".

UK Defence Secretary John Healey says British troops who died in Afghanistan should be remembered as "heroes who gave their lives in service of our nation".

After Donald Trump's claim that Nato forces stayed "a little off the front lines" during the conflict, Healey points out that UK and Nato allies "answered the US call," the only time the alliance's Article 5 has been triggered.

"More than 450 British personnel lost their lives" in the conflict, he writes on X.

"Those British troops should be remembered for who they were: heroes who gave their lives in service of our nation."

Nato's Article 5 states that an armed attack against one member "shall be considered an attack against them all".

Image source, PA Media

An Afghanistan veteran says it is "very disrespectful" to say Nato soldiers were not on the front line in the conflict.

Corporal Andy Reid lost his legs and right arm when he stepped on an improvised explosive device (IED) while serving in Afghanistan in 2009.

He tells the BBC that 457 British soldiers "paid the ultimate sacrifice" and thousands who were injured "are still bearing that sacrifice every single day".

"Not a day goes by when we are not in some kind of pain physically or mentally, reflecting on that conflict," he adds.

"I think it's very disrespectful to say that we weren't on the front line."

Everyone took risks in Afghanistanpublished at 11:08 GMT 23 January

11:08 GMT 23 January

Frank Gardner
Security correspondent

President Trump’s comments are baffling in this context as thousands of non-US troops risked their lives – and many lost them – in some of the fiercest fighting, especially in Kandahar and Helmand provinces.

It was not just UK forces that saw some of the most intense combat there, as well as suffering horrific, life-changing injuries from hidden improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

The Canadians, the Estonians, the Danes and many other nations, including the UAE, deployed their troops to some of the most dangerous parts of the country, in support of the US-led Operation Enduring Freedom.

It’s true that not everyone saw intense combat – there were thousands of Americans based in the relative safety of Bagram airbase, for example.

But the fact is that every single person who deployed to Afghanistan - men and women, military and civilian - risked their lives to some extent in support of America’s call for assistance in the aftermath of al-Qaeda's 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington in 2001.

To ignore this sacrifice prompts the inevitable question: would they do it again now?

Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch says Donald Trump's comments are "flat-out nonsense", writing on social media:

"British, Canadian, and Nato troops fought and died alongside the US for 20 years. This is a fact, not opinion. Their sacrifice deserves respect not denigration."

Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrats leader, says: "457 British troops lost their lives in Afghanistan. Trump avoided military service five times. How dare he question their sacrifice."

We haven't heard from Reform UK's Nigel Farage yet, but former shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick, who recently defected to the party, said the comments were "offensive and wrong".

Speaking to BBC's Question Time on Thursday, Labour MP Emily Thornberry called it an "absolute insult" to the British service personnel killed in the conflict and said the remarks were "much more than a mistake".

On the same programme, Conservative shadow cabinet member Stuart Andrew also called the comments "disgraceful" and "appalling".

Let's bring you some more comments now from Stephen Kinnock, who's been appearing on news outlets this morning.

He tells BBC Breakfast he is "disappointed" by the US president's remarks, adding that Trump's claim "doesn't really add up" and his comments "don't really bear any resemblance to reality".

Kinnock, the health and social care minister, also called the claim "deeply disappointing" and "wrong".

"Many, many British soldiers and many soldiers from other European Nato allies gave their lives in support of American missions, American-led missions in places like Afghanistan and Iraq," he told Sky News.

"I am incredibly proud of our armed forces. They have put their lives on the line for our country. They are the definition of honour and valour and patriotism.

"I think anybody who seeks to criticise what they have done and the sacrifices that they make is plainly wrong."

He added: "President Trump's comments are deeply disappointing, there is no other way to say that."

Nato invoked Article 5, which states that "an armed attack against one Nato member shall be considered an attack against them all", following the 9/11 terror attacks.

Speaking to Fox last night, US President Donald Trump said he was "not sure" the military alliance would be there for the US "if we ever needed them".

"We've never needed them," he said, adding: "We have never really asked anything of them."

"They'll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan," he said, "and they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the front lines".

Health and Social Care Minister Stephen Kinnock has suggested UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer would speak to Trump about the remarks.

"He's incredibly proud of our armed forces, and he will make that clear to the president," he told LBC.

Donald Trump's claim that Nato troops stayed "a little off the front lines" during the war in Afghanistan has provoked anger among UK politicians and veterans' families.

Speaking to Fox on Thursday, the US president said he was "not sure" the military alliance would be there for the US "if we ever needed them".

"They'll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan," he said, "and they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the front lines".

Health and Social Care Minister Stephen Kinnock calls the comments "disappointing" and "wrong", while Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch labels them "flat-out nonsense".

The UK was among several allies to join the US in Afghanistan from 2001, after it invoked Nato's collective security clause following the 9/11 terror attacks. Four-hundred and fifty-seven British service personnel were killed in the conflict.

We'll bring you reaction and analysis throughout the day, so stay with us.