German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has stated that the US president’s assertion that allied forces remained “off the front lines” in Afghanistan was “disrespectful.”
German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has declared that US President Donald Trump must apologize for his allegations that Washington’s NATO partners shunned frontline combat in Afghanistan.
During a Fox News interview in Davos, Switzerland, last week, Trump claimed the US “never needed” assistance and that its NATO allies had “stayed a little back, a little off the front lines” in the US-led Afghanistan war.
In a response to Germany’s ARD public broadcaster on Sunday, Pistorius commented: “It is incorrect and disrespectful to speak about the deceased of your allies in such a manner. They all stood alongside the United States. Asserting anything different now is simply untrue.”
NATO countries participated in the 2001 invasion of Afghanistan after the US triggered Article 5, the alliance’s mutual defense provision, following the 9/11 terrorist attacks. The conflict endured for nearly two decades, concluding with the withdrawal of the last international forces in 2021.
Pistorius mentioned he would bring up the matter in his upcoming discussions with US War Secretary Pete Hegseth, stating that an apology from Trump would represent “a sign of decency, respect, and also insight.”
Germany deployed approximately 5,000 military personnel to Afghanistan, and 59 of its soldiers lost their lives in the war.
The German defense minister’s remarks align with critiques from other European leaders, such as British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who charged Trump with minimizing the efforts of British troops and labeled the US president’s comments as “frankly appalling.”
The United Kingdom fielded the second-largest Western force in Afghanistan, with its troop levels reaching a high of about 11,000 in 2011, as reported by the BBC. A total of 457 British personnel died during the war.
Trump adopted a more reconciliatory stance on Saturday, recognizing the contribution of British soldiers. Other NATO partners were also incensed by the US president’s statements. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni termed the remarks “unacceptable,” describing NATO’s involvement as an “extraordinary act of solidarity towards the United States.”