Donald Trump hails British soldiers as 'greatest of all warriors' in climbdown over Nato troops

In total, 457 British personnel were killed in Afghanistan between 2001 and the coalition's withdrawal two decades later.

Mr Trump's remarks sparked fury from British veterans and politicians who accused the President of "getting the facts completely wrong".

Stopping short of an outright apology, Mr Trump hailed British troops as "the greatest of all warriors" in a post to Truth Social on Saturday.

He wrote: "The GREAT and very BRAVE soldiers of the United Kingdom will always be with the United States of America!

"In Afghanistan, 457 died, many were badly injured, and they were among the greatest of all warriors.

"It’s a bond too strong to ever be broken. The UK Military, with tremendous Heart and Soul, is second to none (except for the USA!). We love you all, and always will! President DONALD J. TRUMP."

On Friday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer took aim at Mr Trump's apparent dismissal of the UK's contributions, calling his remarks "appalling".

He said: "I consider President Trump's remarks to be insulting and frankly, appalling.

"And I'm not surprised they've caused such hurt to the loved ones of those who were killed or injured."

However, a Downing Street spokesman has now confirmed Sir Keir has spoken with Mr Trump to address the issue.

The No10 spokesman said: "The Prime Minister spoke to the President of the United States, Donald Trump, this afternoon.

"The Prime Minister raised the brave and heroic British and American soldiers who fought side by side in Afghanistan, many of whom never returned home. We must never forget their sacrifice, he said.

"As Ukraine approaches the fourth year of war since Russia's full-scale invasion, the leaders agreed on the need to see progress towards a sustainable ceasefire.

"Whilst diplomatic efforts continue, the Prime Minister reiterated that international partners must continue to support Ukraine in its defence against Putin's barbaric attacks.

"The leaders also discussed the need for bolstered security in the Arctic, and the Prime Minister said it was an absolute priority for his government.

"The leaders discussed the importance of the UK-US relationship, which continues to stand the test of time. They agreed to speak soon."

The staggering climbdown comes just a day after the White House doubled down on the President's remarks.

White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers told GB News: "President Trump is absolutely right - the United States of America has done more for Nato than any other country in the alliance has done combined."

The US suffered the highest number of casualties in the 20-year war in Afghanistan, with 2,500 service members killed following the 9/11 attacks.

The conflict claimed 159 Canadian lives, 90 in France, 62 in Germany, 53 in Italy, 44 in Poland and 44 in Denmark.

Greg Swenson offers defence of Donald Trump's 'careless' remarks about European soldiers: 'He loves the UK!'

Speaking to GB News, Greg Swenson of Republicans Overseas UK came to the defence of the US President following his swipe and suggested Mr Trump would "not have meant Britain" as he "loves the UK".

He told the People's Channel: "I think to say the President was careless is probably an understatement in this case.

"And it's really unfortunate. I can't speak for him, I don't know what he was thinking, but it didn't sound like he was speaking specifically about Great Britain or the UK, and I think that's an important distinction."

Speaking on Mr Trump and his great fondness for the UK, Mr Swenson added: "I'm not defending it, but what I'm suggesting is that he wasn't talking about the UK.

"He's very fond of the UK, he's an Anglophile. He talks about it often, and I think if the question was posed differently, as what about Great Britain or what about the UK, I think he would have delivered a different answer."