Denmark’s prime minister rebukes Trump over remarks on NATO role in Afghanistan

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has strongly criticised US President Donald Trump for suggesting that NATO allies avoided frontline combat during the war in Afghanistan, calling his remarks unacceptable and deeply hurtful to veterans.

The Hindu reported that speaking on social media on Saturday, Frederiksen said she understood the anger and pain felt by Danish veterans following Trump’s comments. “No words can describe how much this hurts,” she wrote. “It is unacceptable that the American President questions the commitment of allied soldiers in Afghanistan.”

Her comments followed an interview aired on Fox News on Thursday in which Trump claimed NATO allies had sent troops to Afghanistan but “stayed a little back, a little off the front lines”. The remarks sparked widespread criticism across several NATO countries that suffered significant casualties during the conflict.

Denmark’s Veterans Association said it was “at a loss for words”, stressing that Denmark had consistently stood alongside the United States in crisis zones around the world. Danish veterans have since called for a silent march in Copenhagen on 31 January to protest Trump’s comments.

Frederiksen underscored Denmark’s contribution to the NATO mission, noting that the country ranks among those with the highest military losses per capita. Denmark, with a population of around 5.4 million in 2003, sent approximately 12,000 soldiers and civilian personnel to Afghanistan over the course of the conflict, according to Danish news agency Ritzau.

“My thoughts are with the veterans, your families and your loved ones, who in no way deserved this,” the Danish leader added.

The controversy has also drawn sharp reactions from other NATO allies. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described Trump’s remarks as “insulting and frankly appalling”, saying it was unsurprising that they had caused distress to the families of those killed or injured. The UK lost 457 soldiers during the NATO mission in Afghanistan.

Troops from several other countries, including Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Denmark, also lost their lives during the conflict.

The White House has pushed back against the criticism. In a statement, spokeswoman Taylor Rogers defended Trump’s comments, arguing that the United States had contributed more to NATO than all other alliance members combined.

The dispute has highlighted renewed tensions within the alliance and reopened painful memories of a long and costly war for many NATO nations.