U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday praised British soldiers as “very brave” and “warriors,” marking a reversal from his earlier remarks about NATO forces in Afghanistan. The shift came a day after UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called Trump’s previous comments “offensive and appalling.” Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social that British troops have always stood by the United States and described those killed or wounded in Afghanistan as among the greatest warriors.

Trump had earlier sparked outrage across Europe by claiming that European soldiers were not on the front lines in Afghanistan. His comments drew strong criticism from political and military circles in Britain and beyond. Afghanistan was Britain’s deadliest foreign conflict since the 1950s, with 457 British troops killed, many of them leading allied operations in Helmand province.

According to the British Prime Minister’s Office, Trump and Starmer spoke on Saturday about the issue. Starmer emphasized that the sacrifices of British and American soldiers who fought side by side in Afghanistan must never be forgotten.