Donald Trump has again disparaged America’s Nato allies, claiming that troops from allied nations “stayed a little back, a little off the frontlines” while fighting in Afghanistan in support of the US campaign against the Taliban. Speaking to Fox News on Thursday, Trump said he was “not sure” Nato would meet the “ultimate test” of defending the US if it were under threat. “We’ve never needed them … They’ll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan … and they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the frontlines,” he said, adding the US has been “very good to Europe and to many other countries. Four hundred and fifty-seven British troops died, while another 2,000 military and civilian personnel were wounded in action. Following Trump’s claims earlier in the week, the Nato secretary general, Mark Rutte, told Trump members of the alliance “will” defend the US, pointing out they “did” in Afghanistan.

Source: The Guardian January 23, 2026 00:51 UTC