Prince Harry condemns Trump’s Afghanistan remarks and says he ‘lost friends’ in the war
Prince Harry has criticised Donald Trump over comments about NATO forces in Afghanistan, saying he made “lifelong friends” during his deployments and also “lost friends” in the conflict. The Duke of Sussex, who served two tours in Afghanistan, issued the statement after the US President suggested allied troops did not fight on the front lines.
In his statement, the Duke said NATO’s Article 5 was invoked in 2001, obliging allied nations to support the United States in Afghanistan, and he cited the UK death toll as 457 service personnel. Daily Record reported that Prince Harry said sacrifices from allied troops should be spoken about “truthfully and with respect”.
The Daily Record report quoted the Duke describing how “thousands of lives were changed forever”, adding that parents buried sons and daughters and children were left without a parent. The article also said he served in Helmand Province in 2007-08 and later returned in 2012 with the Army Air Corps, with his experiences later informing the founding of the Invictus Games in 2014.
The remarks drew political reaction in the UK, with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer quoted condemning the comments as “insulting and frankly appalling” and saying he was not surprised they had caused hurt to families of those killed or injured. The latest intervention comes alongside other recent public moments for the Duke, including when he drew laughter in court during questioning in a separate UK legal hearing.
Prince Harry’s statement underlines the continuing sensitivity around the Afghanistan campaign and the toll on service families across the alliance, while also highlighting how public figures and politicians are responding to claims about the role of allied troops in the conflict.
