The outraged stepmother of a 22-year-old Brit squaddie wants Donald Trump to visit the lads grave and give her a personal apology for suggesting Nato troops dodged the front line in Afghanistan
Draft-dodging Donald Trump is facing furious calls to apologise for his UK troops cowardice claim from the family of a Brit soldier killed in Afghanistan.
The stepmother of Private Gareth Bellingham wants to drag the Orange Manbaby to the tragic lad’s grave and have a personal “sorry” from the Republican. Trump, 79, sparked outrage over his claim Nato troops avoided the front line during the US-led invasion of Afghanistan in 2001.
Pte Bellingham from Stoke-on-Trent was killed aged 22 after being shot in June 2011 while clearing a mine area on patrol in Helmand Province.
His stepmum Kim Bellingham raged about Trump’s remarks: “It was extremely hurtful and it’s made me very angry.
She added the Brit soldiers who served in Afghanistan “worked blooming hard” and said all of them needed an apology from Trump.
Kim also blasted: “I’d like to meet Trump – I’d like to take him to Gareth’s grave.
“Wise up, get better advisors, come and see the reality of the loss of a child in a conflict.”
She added about her stepson’s death: “He’d been called through because someone had been injured under fire, so he died very bravely.
“He was doing his job, he was trying to protect all of his other company.”
Kim said to hear ex-reality TV judge Trump say he was among the Nato troops who dodged the front line was “absolutely appalling”.
She also branded Trump’s recent U-turn on his statements “absolutely too little too late”.
Trump ignited outrage after babbling on his social media platform America’s allies had sent “some troops” to help in the conflict, but accused them of staying “a little back” and a “little off” the front lines.
Fury from army chiefs, UK political parties, King Charles – and Sir Rod Stewart – forced Trump to roll back on his statement and praise the Brit soldiers sent to Afghanistan as “among the greatest of all warriors”.
Sir Rod, 81, lashed his former pal Trump over his original remarks in a social media video in which he branded him a “draft dodger”. It refers to how Trump was called up – or “drafted – to serve in the Vietnam War in his youth.
He got out of the draft by being a student for four of the five times he was called on, and obtained a doctor’s note for “bone spurs” on the fifth. More than 1,100 non-US coalition fighters died in the Afghan conflict.
The overwhelming majority of those were from Nato countries, and more than 2,300 members of the US armed forces lost their lives.
A total of 457 soldiers, Royal Marines and aviators were killed in the conflict, sparked by the 9/11 attacks on the US.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer branded Trump’s comments “insulting and appalling”, Prince Harry said Nato troops deserved respect and King Charles was said to have intervened in the row by expressing his “concerns” over Trump’s latest outburst.