UK Politicians React to Trump's U-Turn on Afghanistan Comments

Donald Trump's recent change of heart about his comments on UK troops in Afghanistan has left politicians in the UK feeling a mix of relief and frustration. Trump initially claimed that UK troops had stayed back from the frontlines in Afghanistan, a statement that was widely criticized as both offensive and inaccurate. However, he later praised British soldiers, calling them "among the greatest of all warriors" and acknowledging the 457 who lost their lives in Afghanistan. This shift in tone came after Trump's initial remarks on Fox News, where he suggested that the US had "never needed" its allies in Afghanistan and that NATO troops had kept their distance from the frontlines. Despite his later praise, Trump did not apologize for his earlier comments or clarify his remarks about other NATO troops. UK Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood described Trump's clarification as "as good as it gets" with him. She believed it showed that Trump recognized the offensiveness of his initial remarks. Labour leader Keir Starmer had earlier condemned Trump's comments as "insulting and frankly appalling. " It's reported that King Charles expressed his concerns about the Fox interview through diplomatic channels, which may have influenced Trump's change of heart.When asked if Trump's clarification amounted to an apology, Mahmood said, "The president has his way. " She mentioned that during a call with the prime minister, the issue of Trump's comments was raised, and this clarification was likely a response to that. She added, "With the president, I suspect this is as good as it gets. " Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey told the BBC that while he was relieved Trump had backed down, it didn't change his view of Trump or the government's approach to him. Shadow Foreign Secretary Priti Patel believed Trump was genuinely sorry, recognizing that his comments were wrong. She also advised Trump to be more careful with his future statements. Reform UK's deputy leader, Richard Tice, shared Trump's clarification on X, emphasizing the importance of setting the record straight. Greg Swenson, chair of Republicans Overseas UK, told the BBC that it was not in Trump's nature to apologize, expressing relief that Trump had made the clarification.