Furious Rod Stewart slams ‘draft dodger’ Trump over ‘insufferable’ feedback
After Trump sparked outrage with his comments that NATO allies did not give their lives to help the US, Sir Rod Stewart has blasted the president for his “unbearable” remarks
Sir Rod Stewart pulled no punches as he gave this thoughts on Trump’s NATO comments(Image: Getty Images)
Furious rock icon Sir Rod Stewart has lambasted “draft dodger” Donald Trump for badmouthing UK armed forces’ involvement in Afghanistan. Stewart came out swinging over the US President’s rude comments this week suggesting NATO allies, including British troops, kept away from the front line during the Afghanistan conflict.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and many UK groups condemned the POTUS’ incorrect statements during a Fox TV interview. But the incensed Maggie May star, 81, went after Trump, 79, in a social media video urging Starmer and the White House leader’s American ally Nigel Farage to make him apologise.
Stewart said: “I may just be a humble rock star. I’m also a knight of the realm and I have my opinions,” Stewart said at the beginning of his video.
“I was born just after the [World] War [II] and have great respect for our armed forces that fought and gave us our freedom. So, it hurts me badly, deeply when I read that the draft dodger Trump has criticised our troops in Afghanistan for not being on the front line.
“We lost over 400 of our guys. Think of their parents. Think about it and Trump calls ’em almost like cowards. It’s unbearable. So, I’m calling on you, Prime Minister [Keir] Starmer and [Reform UK leader Nigel] Farage. Please make the draft dodger Trump apologize, please.”
While Stewart spoke, the words “We shall never forget,” “So disrespectful,” “Honour them,” “Disgraceful,” “Take a stand,” and “Thank you” flashed on the screen. Stewart ended his speech with a salute.
Trump’s remarks, made during a Fox News interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, prompted a furious backlash across the UK and Europe and among veterans’ groups. He said: “We’ve never needed them; we have never really asked anything of them, 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.”
Trump eventually issued a grovelling apology to British troops for badmouthing them in a Truth Social post on Saturday (January 24). He praised the “great” and “very brave” soldiers who fought in Afghanistan after claiming they “stayed off the front lines”.
Trump said: “The GREAT and very BRAVE soldiers of the United Kingdom will always be with the United States of America! 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.
“The U.K. Military, with tremendous Heart and Soul, is second to none (except for the U.S.A.!). We love you all, and always will!”
Downing Street previously called Trump “wrong” to unfairly attack UK forces, pointing out that Britain suffered the second-highest number of military deaths after the United States. Starmer described the comments as “insulting and frankly appalling”.
Last summer Stewart spoke on how he longer speaks to Trump even though they were once amicable in Florida. “I’m not a great fan of Trump, I knew him very, very well. I used to go to his house.”
The rocker said his Florida home is “literally half a mile away” from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach. “I used to go to his Christmas parties. He’s always been a bit of a man’s man. I liked him for that.
“But he didn’t, as far as I’m concerned, treat women very well. But since he became president, he became another guy. Somebody I didn’t know.”
For the latest breaking news and stories from across the globe from the Daily Star, sign up for our newsletters.
