JD Vance has hit out at “absurdly dishonest” honsest criticism of comments he made which appeared to dismiss UK military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.
The US vice president sparked outrage when he claimed that European plans – led by the UK – for peacekeeping forces to police a ceasefire between Ukraine and Russia amounted to “20,000 troops from some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years”.
His attack was widely interpreted as downplaying British military involvement in recent years.
Some 457 British troops were killed over the 20 year deployment in Afghanistan while 179 troops and civilian staff were killed in the Iraq War.
Responding to criticism, Vance tweeted: “This is absurdly dishonest.
This is absurdly dishonest. I don’t even mention the UK or France in the clip, both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond. https://t.co/hrkb5pTV8p
— JD Vance (@JDVance) March 4, 2025
“I don’t even mention the UK or France in the clip, both of whom have fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond.
"But let’s be direct: there are many countries who are volunteering (privately or publicly) support who have neither the battlefield experience nor the military equipment to do anything meaningful."
It comes after the US stunned its allies by halting military aid to Ukraine, in a move the Americans say is a bid to begin peace talks.
UK officials appear to have been blindsided by Trump’s aid announcement, with Keir Starmer telling the Commons on Monday he understood America would maintain military support.
