White House stands ground after Trump's comments on Afghanistan war outrage US allies
World leaders are pushing back against Donald Trump's remarks about other nations' contributions to the war in Afghanistan.
In an interview earlier this week, the US president downplayed the role of NATO allies in the long-running war.
"We've never needed them. We have never really asked anything of them," Trump said.
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Donald Trump has questioned the commitment of NATO allies in Afghanistan. AP
"You know, they'll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan, or this or that. And they did – they stayed a little back, a little off the front lines."
The comments outraged UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who has been loathe in the past to criticise Trump.
"I consider President Trump's remarks to be insulting and frankly appalling and I am not surprised they have caused such hurt to the loved ones of those who were killed or injured and, in fact, across the country," Starmer said.
Starmer paid tribute to the 457 British personnel who died in Afghanistan as well as those left in life-long injuries.
Forty-one Australian soldiers died in Afghanistan during the 20-year war.
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An Australian soldier on patrol in Afghanistan in 2013. Alex Ellinghausen
Prince Harry, who served in Afghanistan, also issued a statement in defence of the British sacrifices made in the war.
"I served there. I made lifelong friends there. And I lost friends there," he said.
"Thousands of lives were changed forever. Mothers and fathers buried sons and daughters. Children were left without a parent. Families are left carrying the cost."
Former UK Minister of Defence Tobias Ellwood, himself a lieutenant colonel, demanded Starmer summon the US ambassador for an explanation.
Chairman of Estonian Parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee posted a list of the countries with the highest soldier losses per capita in Afghanistan.
Denmark was first, followed by the UK, Estonia and Canada.
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World leaders are demanding an apology from Donald Trump over his comments on Afghanistan. AP
The United States was in fifth place.
Trump's comments were also condemned by two of Trump's former national security advisers.
"I think it's insulting to those who were fighting alongside of us," HR McMaster told the BBC.
John Bolton said Trump's remarks were "beyond outrageous".
But the White House is holding its ground.
"President Trump is right – America's contributions to NATO dwarf that of other countries," the administration said in a statement.
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The coffins of seven British soldiers killed in Afghanistan, are driven through the town of Wootton Bassett in 2010. AP
Trump himself has never served in uniform, receiveiving five deferments from the draft during the Vietnam War.
None of Trump's immediate family have served in the military.
After after appearing to back down on his ambitions to annex Greenland, the White House posted what appeared to be a mocking AI image related to the issue.
The image showed Trump hand-in-wing with a penguin holding an American flag.
In the distance of the snowy image is a Greenland flag.
"Embrace the penguin," the image was captioned.
There are no penguins in Greenland, or indeed anywhere in the Northern Hemisphere.
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