“I consider President Trump's remarks to be insulting and frankly appalling, and I'm not surprised they've caused such hurt for the loved ones of those who were killed or injured,” he said. He also paid tribute to the 457 British personnel who died in Afghanistan and urged Trump to apologise. The UK contributed the largest foreign contingent after the United States, with over 150,000 British troops serving until 2014. Criticism From Veterans and LawmakersThe remarks drew strong criticism because Trump had not served in the Vietnam War despite being eligible. Diane Dernie, whose son Ben Parkinson was severely injured in a mine blast in Afghanistan in 2006, called Trump’s remarks “the ultimate insult” and urged Starmer to confront him.

Source: News 24 January 23, 2026 18:03 UTC