Donald Trump has been criticised for claiming NATO troops stayed "a little off the frontlines" in Afghanistan.

In an interview with Fox News in Davos, the US president repeated his criticism of NATO, saying he was not "sure" the alliance would "be there if we ever needed them".

He added: "We've never needed them.

"They'll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan… and they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the frontlines."

Sky News US correspondent David Blevins said the comments would be deemed "grossly offensive" by allies who fought alongside the US.

America is the only NATO member to have invoked the collective security provisions of its Article 5 clause – that an attack against one member is an attack on all.

That came after the 9/11 terror attacks of 2001, which led to a US-led invasion of Afghanistan.

The UK suffered the second-highest number of military deaths in the Afghanistan conflict at 457. The US saw 2,461 deaths.

America's allies suffered 1,160 deaths during the conflict - around a third of the total coalition deaths.

UK Defence Secretary, John Healey, said: "NATO's Article 5 has only been triggered once. The UK and NATO allies answered the US call. And more than 450 British personnel lost their lives in Afghanistan.

"Those British troops should be remembered for who they were: heroes who gave their lives in service of our nation.

Trump's words will be a gut punch for the families of the 1,160 non-American coalition soldiers who were killed in Afghanistan.

It will be a gut punch too for the thousands more who were wounded fighting this war, many left without limbs.

And it will be a gut punch to the soldiers of so many nations who stood up to fight alongside American soldiers on the frontlines and for whom not a day will pass without them thinking about their experiences in that war.

Afghanistan was America's war. America's friends stood up and answered the call for support after 9/11. For over two decades America's allies would continue with that support in an increasing futile conflict.

I spent time with British and Danish soldiers in Helmand Province in 2007. They were very much on the frontline. The Danish lost more soldiers in Afghanistan per capita than any other NATO nation.

Battles in towns like Sangin, Musa Qala, Babaji and Nad Ali are etched in the memories of the many who were there and the many families of those who didn't come back.

Britons remember what became a desperately sad routine: coffins draped in the Union flag passing through the Wiltshire town of Wootton Bassett as the fallen were repatriated and returned to their loved ones.

457 British service men and women died in Afghanistan. Trump dodged the draft for the Vietnam War five times. The New York Times reports that his call up was deferred four times so he could continue his college education and one was due to a diagnosis of bone spurs - unusual bone growth - on his heels.

Tap here to read Mark's full piece.

Keir Starmer told to stand up to Trump

Diane Dernie, whose son, Ben Parkinson, suffered horrific injuries when his vehicle hit a mine in Afghanistan in 2006 said the US president's comments were "the ultimate insult".

She called on Sir Keir to stand up to Mr Trump over them.

Mr Parkinson is widely viewed as the most severely injured British soldier to have survived the war.

The blast left the former lance bombardier with both legs amputated, a twisted spine and brain damage.

His mother said: "I can assure you, the Taliban didn't plant IEDs [improvised explosive devices] miles and miles back from the front line."

Sir Keir has "got to stand up for his own armed forces and he's got to absolutely refute what Donald Trump said," she said.

Al Carns, the armed forces minister, who served five tours in Afghanistan as a Royal Marine, said the claims were "utterly ridiculous" without referring to Mr Trump by name.

In a video, he said: "Many courageous and honourable service personnel from many nations fought on the front line. Many fought way beyond it.

"I served five tours in Afghanistan, many alongside my American colleagues. We shed blood, sweat and tears together. Not everybody came home."

Trump 'is plainly wrong'

Social care minister Stephen Kinnock said Mr Trump's claim was "deeply disappointing".

Mr Kinnock told Sky News: "President Trump's comments are deeply disappointing. There is no other way to say that, I don't know really why he said them. I don't think there's any basis for him to make those comments."

He said there is "a long history of the British armed forces standing shoulder to shoulder with the United States".

"We will always stand up for the values that we cherish: democracy, freedom, liberty to push back against dictators and anybody else that seeks to undermine our values and our way of life - and NATO is at the heart of that alliance."

He pointed to the fact that the only time NATO's Article 5 clause - a call for allies to come to a member's defence - had been activated "was to go to the aid of the United States after 9/11".

"And many, many British soldiers and many soldiers from other European and NATO allies gave their lives in support of American missions, American-led missions in places like Afghanistan and Iraq," he said.

"I am incredibly proud of our armed forces. They have put their lives on the line for our country. They are the definition of honour and valour and patriotism - and anybody who seeks to criticise what they have done and the sacrifices they make is plainly wrong," Mr Kinnock added.

'We have always been there'

Dame Emily Thornberry MP, chair of the Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee, said Mr Trump's comments were "an insult" to the families of those who died and "so much more than a mistake".

Speaking on the BBC's Question Time, Dame Emily said: "How dare he say we weren't on the frontline, how dare he.

"We have always been there whenever the Americans have wanted us, we have always been there."

In a social media post, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey MP said: "Trump avoided military service five times.

"How dare he question their sacrifice. Farage and all the others still fawning over Trump should be ashamed."

Trump's words 'a disservice' to troops

Tory MP Ben Obese-Jecty, who served in Afghanistan as a captain in the Royal Yorkshire Regiment, said it was "sad to see our nation's sacrifice, and that of our NATO partners, held so cheaply by the president of the United States".

He said: "I saw first hand the sacrifices made by British soldiers I served alongside in Sangin where we suffered horrific casualties, as did the US Marines the following year.

"I don't believe US military personnel share the view of President Trump; his words do them a disservice as our closest military allies." (Sky News)

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