Donald Trump has been accused of “insulting” the UK by claiming it would not come to America’s aid – despite British soldiers fighting alongside the US in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The row erupted after the US President suggested he would not defend Nato countries that did not meet military spending targets, saying: “I think it’s common sense, right? If they don’t pay, I’m not going to defend them.”
He added that his “biggest problem” with Nato was whether they would defend the US if called to do so.
“If the US was in trouble and we called them… do you think they’re gonna come and protect us? They are supposed to. I’m not so sure,” he said.
His comments appear to signal a shift in US attitudes to Nato’s Article 5, which states that an attack on one country is an attack on all its members.
Initially intended to protect European countries from the Soviet Union during the Cold War, it has been activated only once — following the 9/11 terror attacks against the US in 2001.
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey slammed President Trump’s remarks, describing them as “every bit as insulting as JD Vance’s comments earlier this week”.
Sir Ed added: “Trump looks increasingly like an unreliable ally, and the government urgently needs a plan B”.
Former Tory veterans minister Johnny Mercer also hit back, pointing to President Trump’s recent high-profile rows with Ukraine, tweeting: “Article 5 has been invoked once – after 9/11. By the United States. Over 50 countries – including Ukraine – deployed troops to support her.”
Vice President Vance was condemned for disrespecting British veterans after he appeared to describe the UK as “some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years”.
He was accused of erasing the experiences of Britons who served in Iraq and Afghanistan after his latest tirade against America’s European allies.
Some 636 British troops died fighting alongside the US in Iraq and Afghanistan, and ex-soldier Liberal Democrat MP Helen Maguire who served in Iraq said Mr Vance had made “a sinister attempt to deny that reality”.
Former Republican US president George W Bush has praised Britain’s role in the Iraq War.
Sir Keir Starmer is due to speak to European leaders on Friday, as the UK’s diplomatic push for peace in Ukraine continues.
But a Labour minister said it was “fair enough” for the US to expect Europe to do more on defence.
Health minister Stephen Kinnock said a “challenge has been laid” by the US.
Speaking to Sky News, Mr Kinnock said: “Donald Trump’s not actually the first president to say that the European arm of Nato needs to step up.
“More needs to be spent on defence, military capability needs to be made fit for purpose.”
He suggested the armed forces were “hollowed out” by the last Conservative government and said “it’s about now rebuilding our military capability to look after our own backyard@.
“And, you know, I think that’s fair enough – the challenge has been laid and we must now show that we are equal to that challenge,” he added.