Prince Harry Slams Trump’s NATO Swipe — “I Served There… And I Lost Friends”

Prince Harry is responding after President Donald Trump suggested NATO allies stayed “a little back” from the front lines during the war in Afghanistan and questioned whether those allies would show up if the United States ever needed them.

In a Fox News interview on Jan. 22, Trump cast doubt on NATO partners’ commitment, saying the U.S. has “never really asked anything” of them. He added that while allies “sent some troops to Afghanistan,” they “stayed a little back, a little off the front lines.”

A day later, the Duke of Sussex — who served for a decade in the British Army and completed two tours in Afghanistan — issued a statement through a spokesperson rejecting that characterization and pointing to the alliance’s response after the Sept. 11 attacks.

“In 2001, NATO invoked Article 5 for the first—and only—time in history,” Harry said, referencing the mutual defense clause triggered following 9/11. “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 then spoke personally about the cost of the conflict.

“I served there. I made lifelong friends there. And I lost friends there,” he said, adding that “the United Kingdom alone had 457 service personnel killed.”

He also underscored what he described as the long-term impact on families and communities, saying “thousands of lives were changed forever,” as parents buried children and children grew up without a parent. He argued those sacrifices should be discussed “truthfully and with respect,” while emphasizing a continued commitment to “diplomacy and peace.”

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also criticized Trump’s remarks, calling them “insulting and frankly appalling.”

Harry, 41, moved to the United States after stepping back from his working role in the royal family in 2020. He and Meghan Markle live in California with their two children.

While senior royals traditionally avoid direct political commentary, Harry has continued speaking publicly about military service and veterans’ issues since stepping away from formal duties.

Separately, King Charles and other royals hosted Trump and first lady Melania Trump during a state visit to Windsor Castle in September. Recent reports have also suggested the monarch could travel to the U.S. in the coming months as the country approaches its 250th anniversary of independence, with The Telegraph and The Times both reporting that a state visit in April has been discussed.