Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch on Friday criticised President Donald Trump’s comments after he claimed troops from NATO allies were “a little off the front lines” during fighting in Afghanistan.
Badenoch wrote on X; “President Trump’s comments about British Troops in Afghanistan are disgraceful.
“Comments like this are factually wrong, weaken NATO, and denigrate the memory of our brave soldiers who served there.” She added.
The Conservative leader’s statement came after Harry, a British Army captain deployed to Afghanistan twice in 2008 and 2012, said in a statement that when NATO invoked Article 5 for the first and only time in its history to assist U.S. troops in Afghanistan — America’s allies “answered that call.”
“I served there. I made lifelong friends there. And I lost friends there. The United Kingdom alone had 457 service personnel killed,” 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,” he said.
“Those sacrifices deserve to be spoken about truthfully and with respect, as we all remain united and loyal to the defence of diplomacy and peace,” Harry added.
His comments came after Trump repeated claims downplaying the help NATO allies provided in military operations against the Taliban following the Sept. 11 terror attacks on the U.S.