The US President has sparked fury by saying British soldiers did “not go on the front line” in Afghanistan, despite 457 servicemen and women having died in the 20-year conflict
Donald Trump was branded an “offensive d**k” by a Brit prisoner of war after he claimed allies stayed away from the front line in Afghanistan.
Shaun Pinner, held captive for five months by Russian forces in Ukraine, said the US President’s crass comments were insulting “to every veteran who stood with America after 9/11”.
Some 457 UK servicemen and women were killed in Afghanistan after Britain answered America’s call for help to fight Al Qaeda in 2001. Others like paratrooper Ben Parkinson suffered horrendous injuries during the conflict.
Yet Trump diminished the role of Nato allies, saying: “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 front lines.”
Hero Shaun, 50, raged on social media: “You are an offensive d**k, when you dismiss allied service with ‘they’ll say they sent some troops,’ then smirk and say they were ‘a little away from the front,’ you insult every veteran who stood with America after 9/11.
“You breed contempt, and that’s the second put-down to veterans in as many days, and to those who fought and died in Afghanistan to support you, the US.”
The slur was made in a TV interview at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, as Trump moaned the US was treated unfairly by Nato, despite being the only country ever to seek help under Article 5 of the Nato treaty.
And his comments were slammed by the grieving parents of Brit soldiers who died fighting alongside Americans in Afghanistan.
Lucy Aldridge – whose Rifleman son William, 18, was the youngest – said: “They were absolutely on the front line. Trump is out of touch with reality.”
The mother of veteran Ben Parkinson, regarded as the most severely injured British soldier to survive in Afghanistan, said: “I can assure you, the Taliban didn’t plant IEDs miles and miles back from the front line.
“To say that British troops, Nato forces, were not involved on the front lines – it’s just a childish man trying to deflect from his own actions, and it’s just beyond belief. I mean, it is so insulting, it’s so hard to hear… This is just disgraceful.”
Ian Sadler – whose Trooper son Jack, 21, was killed in Afghanistan in 2007 – said: “The British certainly were in the hot spots, they were on the front line, 457 of them were lost and there was probably three times as many seriously injured as deaths.”
Robert Dicketts – whose para son Oliver, 27, was killed in 2006 – said: “When I read it, I thought, ‘What a bloody cheek!’ I think my thoughts about Donald Trump are probably unprintable.
“To put it politely, Donald Trump’s knowledge of history is lacking considerably. I think the Government should point out the loss of life by British troops and how much they were involved in frontline operations. Oliver himself was killed in a frontline operation.
“He’s entirely wrong. Not just about British forces, a lot of other Nato forces suffered losses as well and were in frontline positions. His lack of knowledge of history generally is appalling and some of the statements he makes beggar belief.”
All three main party leaders in the UK hit back at Trump’s comments, while armed forces minister Al Carns said UK troops “shed blood, sweat and tears” alongside US comrades.
Mr Carns, who served five tours in Afghanistan, said: “Many courageous and honourable service personnel from many nations fought on the front line. Many fought way beyond it.”
Last year, Trump’s vice president JD Vance sparked fury when he claimed Britain hadn’t fought a war for decades. He was branded “shameful” and a “clown” and accused of insulting British troops who died in Afghanistan and Iraq with his remarks.
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