A senior French government official has firmly rejected comments made by US President Donald Trump suggesting that non‑US NATO troops stayed away from the front lines during the war in Afghanistan. The remarks have sparked anger in France, where officials and veterans’ groups say the statements distort history and disrespect the soldiers who died in the conflict.
Paris Ceremony Held to Defend Soldiers’ Memory
On Monday, Alice Rufo, France’s minister delegate at the Defense Ministry, laid a wreath at a Paris monument honoring those who died in overseas operations.
She told reporters the ceremony was arranged over the weekend because it was essential to show that France “does not accept that their memory be insulted.”
French Troops Fought and Died in Afghanistan
Following the September 11 attacks, the United States led a broad international coalition in Afghanistan to dismantle Al‑Qaeda and remove its Taliban hosts.
NATO invoked its mutual‑defense clause for the first time, and troops from dozens of countries including France joined the mission.
Ninety French soldiers lost their lives during the conflict, many of them in frontline combat operations.
Trump’s Comments Spark Outcry
In an interview in Davos, Trump claimed that NATO allies stayed “a little off the frontlines” in Afghanistan.
The remarks drew immediate criticism, prompting him to later praise British soldiers but he did not acknowledge the contributions of other nations.
France Calls for Respect and Solidarity
Rufo said she had seen the “outrage, anger, and sadness” expressed by veterans’ associations.
She emphasized that trans‑Atlantic solidarity should outweigh political disputes, noting the shared sacrifices made by allied forces.
“There is a brotherhood of arms between Americans, Britons, and French soldiers when we go into combat,” she said.
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