Prince Harry is reacting to President Donald Trump’s comments that NATO allies “stayed a little back” from the frontlines during the war in Afghanistan.
In an interview with Fox News on Jan. 22, Trump questioned whether NATO allies would “be there” if the United States “ever needed them.”
“We have never really asked anything of them. You know, they’ll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan, or this or that. And they did — they stayed a little back, a little off the front lines,” he said.
The Duke of Sussex — who served in the British Army for a decade, including two tours of Afghanistan — issued a strong statement via his spokesperson on Jan. 23 in response to the claim.
“In 2001, NATO invoked Article 5 for the first—and only—time in history,” Harry said, referencing the alliance’s mutual defense clause following the Sept. 11 attacks. “It meant that every allied nation was obliged to stand with the United States in Afghanistan, in pursuit of our shared security. Allies answered that call.”
Harry went on to underscore the lasting impact of the war. “Thousands of lives were changed forever. Mothers and fathers buried sons and daughters. Children were left without a parent. Families are left carrying the cost,” he said. “Those sacrifices deserve to be spoken about truthfully and with respect, as we all remain united and loyal to the defence of diplomacy and peace.”
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also reacted to Trump’s claim, calling it “insulting and frankly appalling.”
Prince Harry, 41, relocated to the U.S. after stepping back from his working role within the royal family in 2020. He and Meghan Markle settled in her home state of California, where they are raising their two children.
While members of the royal family traditionally avoid public comment on political issues, Harry has continued to speak publicly about military service and veterans’ welfare since stepping back from royal life.
