Germany’s Minister of Defense, Boris Pistorius, commented on derogatory remarks about Nato soldiers in Afghanistan by US president Donald Trump yesterday.

In an interview with German tabloid Bild, he stated,

“Our Bundeswehr stood ready when our American allies requested assistance after the Islamist terrorist attack of 2001. “Germany is deeply grateful to the Bundeswehr for this courage and highly professional service. “59 soldiers and three police officers lost their lives in combat, attacks, or accidents. Numerous wounded soldiers still suffer from injuries sustained during this period.”

Apparently, there was no sharp criticism of Donald Trump by Pistorius. As a reserve officer of the Medical Corps of the German Armed Forces, who had not served in Afghanistan but had witnessed the war in Iraq from neighbouring Kuwait, I asked Gemini today,

“After Donald Trump apparently clarified his derogatory remarks about Nato soldiers in Afghanistan, he now seems to paddle back and praises warriors from the UK. Did he also mention in further remarks Danish soldiers who lost their lives, or German soldiers?”

Here’s what I got.

Based on recent reports, Donald Trump has only specifically praised British soldiers following the backlash, and he did not mention Danish or German soldiers who lost their lives in Afghanistan in his follow-up remarks. 

Here are the details of the situation as of late January 2026:

• Initial Comments: In an interview with Fox News, Trump alleged that NATO allies “stayed a little back, a little off the front lines” in Afghanistan, prompting widespread outrage from allies.
• Backtracking/Praise: Following intense criticism and a phone call with UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Trump posted on Truth Social that UK soldiers were “among the greatest of all warriors”.
• Focus on the UK: In his praise, Trump specifically highlighted that 457 British personnel died, calling them “great and very brave”.
• No Mention of Others: Reports indicate that while other nations suffered significant losses—including 44 Danish soldiers and 53 Italian soldiers—Trump did not mention any other NATO country besides the UK in his walk-back, leaving Danish veterans and officials feeling betrayed. 

While German and Danish officials strongly rebuked the initial comments—with Denmark highlighting that they had one of the highest per-capita death rates in the conflict—Trump’s public reversal was exclusively focused on the United Kingdom. 

The Guardian, CNN World, NPR and others.

25 January 2026 @ 11:15 am.

Last modified January 25, 2026.