The Atlantic alliance is going through one of its biggest crises of confidence following statements by US President Donald Trump made last Thursday in an interview with Fox Business. The head of state downplayed the role of international troops in the war in Afghanistan, stating that non-American soldiers 'stayed a bit behind, away from the front lines'. The response from European leaders was not long in coming, particularly from two nations with very different diplomatic profiles towards Washington. Despite her known political alignment with Trump, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the words as 'unacceptable'. 'We cannot accept superficial and mistaken analyses that ignore the sacrifice of our soldiers,' she posted on social media X, and recalled that Italy lost 53 military personnel in the NATO mission. Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, for his part, called the statements 'disrespectful'. In an official message, he stated that 'the fallen, their families, and those who served in Afghanistan deserve to be spoken of with truth and respect'. Norway contributed elite troops that operated in high-risk areas for 20 years of conflict.
The source of the outrage Trump claimed that the activation of Article 5 (collective defense) after 9/11 was not matched by a real commitment on the battlefield from the allies. 'Italy and the US have fought together,' he said. However, historical records contradict this view: First Line: Countries like the United Kingdom, Canada, and Denmark suffered very high proportional casualty rates in critical provinces such as Helmand and Kandahar. British Reaction: Prime Minister Keir Starmer and figures like Prince Harry (who served in Afghanistan) also repudiated the remarks, reminding Trump that NATO is the most successful security pact in history. These Trump statements add to a series of recent frictions, including the threat of tariffs on Europe and pressure on Denmark over Greenland, which for many analysts suggests a deliberate attempt to reshape Washington's traditional alliances into a purely transactional model.
