During an interview on Fox News, Trump said that until now the Alliance had been a “one-way street” and America “never needed” allies and never asked them for anything. Then he added: “You know, they'll say they sent troops to Afghanistan or Sudan, and they did. They stayed a little behind, a little away from the front line, he said.
What did President Nawrocki say about Polish soldiers?
How did Donald Trump react to NATO?
How many Polish soldiers died in Afghanistan?
Who else commented on Trump's words?
On Friday evening, the President of Poland reacted. “There is no doubt that Polish soldiers are heroes. They deserve respect and words of thanks for their service. 44 brave Poles died in Afghanistan: 43 soldiers and a civilian. They will remain in our memory forever!” — wrote Karol Nawrocki.
White House deputy spokeswoman Anna Kelly commented on Trump's words. She reported that the president was right. “America's contributions to NATO dwarf those of other countries,” she wrote.
Kelly went on to say that “success in meeting NATO allies' commitment to a 5 percent increase in defense spending helps Europe take greater responsibility for its own defense.” “The United States is the only NATO partner that can protect Greenland, and the president advances NATO interests by acting in this way,” she added.
Donald Trump under fire. “He has no right to mock”
Earlier, Donald Trump's words were commented on by Foreign Minister Radosław Sikorski. The Deputy Prime Minister wrote on Platform X that “no one has the right to mock the service of our soldiers.”
“US President Donald Trump spoke beautifully about spirit, courage, fitness and determination during his last conversation with President Karol Nawrocki. [polskich żołnierzy]. He called them “great warriors” and Poland itself a “model ally,” said Marcin Przydacz, head of the presidential Office of International Policy, responding to Radosław Sikorski's criticism of Donald Trump.
During the NATO mission in Afghanistan – which was the only use of NATO's Article 5 on mutual defense – over 1,000 NATO soldiers died, including 459 British and 44 Poles. The highest per capita losses among NATO soldiers – including the US – were suffered by Denmark.
