Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has criticized former U.S. President Donald Trump for comments that appeared to downplay the role of NATO troops in Afghanistan. In a television interview on Sunday, Albanese said Trump’s remarks were unacceptable, adding that even though Trump later acknowledged allied contributions, the damage from his earlier statement remained.

Following the September 11, 2001 attacks, Australian forces joined NATO operations in Afghanistan, where 47 Australian soldiers were killed and more than 260 injured. Last week, Trump claimed that U.S. allies sent some troops but were not on the front lines. Albanese said such comments deeply hurt the families of fallen soldiers and emphasized that the bravery and sacrifice of 40,000 Australians who served in Afghanistan deserved the highest respect.

Trump’s earlier interview with Fox News also drew anger from several NATO allies, including Poland, Norway, Denmark, Italy, and the United Kingdom. Under pressure, Trump later praised British troops on his social media platform. Australia withdrew its troops from Afghanistan in 2021.