German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius has called on U.S. President Donald Trump to apologise for remarks suggesting that America’s NATO allies in Afghanistan avoided frontline service, joining a chorus of criticism from European politicians and army veterans.
Trump caused deep offence among U.S. allies when he told Fox Business Network last week that the U.S. had “never needed” the transatlantic alliance and accused allies of staying “a little off the front lines” in Afghanistan.
“It’s just not right and it’s disrespectful to talk about the dead of your allies in that way. They all stood there, at the side of the United States. To claim something else today is simply not true,” he told a talk show on Germany’s ARD public broadcaster late on Sunday.
Thousands of German troops took part in NATO’s Operation Enduring Freedom and Resolute Support missions in Afghanistan and 59 were killed. The operations were launched following the al Qaeda attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001.
Pistorius said he would bring up the issue the next time he spoke with U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and he urged Trump to apologise.
German defence minister urges Trump to apologise for Afghanistan remarks | Reuters