Prince Harry, a former British Army officer who completed two tours in Afghanistan, has responded sharply to recent comments by U.S. President Donald Trump questioning NATO’s solidarity with the United States following the September 11 attacks.
During a January 22 interview with FOX Business, Trump criticized NATO’s reliability, contending that the U.S. has long borne a disproportionate share of the alliance’s burden while allies stayed “off the front lines.”
“We have never really asked anything of them. They’ll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan — and they did — but they stayed a little back, a little off the front lines,” Trump told FOX Business anchor Maria Bartiromo.
The Duke of Sussex, who served ten years in the British Army, issued a firm rebuttal through his spokesperson in a statement to Fox News Digital, reminding the public of NATO’s historic unity following 9/11.
“In 2001, NATO invoked Article 5 for the first and only time in history. It meant every allied nation was obliged to stand with the United States in Afghanistan, in pursuit of our shared security. Allies answered that call,” Harry stated.
Article 5, NATO’s collective defense clause, considers an attack on one member as an attack on all, forming the cornerstone of the alliance’s mutual commitment.
Drawing from his own military experience, Harry went on to highlight the personal cost of the mission.
“Thousands of lives were changed forever. Mothers and fathers buried sons and daughters. Children were left without a parent. Families are left carrying the cost,” he said, emphasizing the enduring human toll of the war.