Rod Stewart called on President Donald Trump to apologize for his disparaging remarks about NATO troops, exhorting British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Leader of Reform UK Nigel Farage to also put pressure on the “draft dodger.”
Stewart addressed his ex-friend in a recent Instagram video, which you can see below.
What Did Rod Stewart Say to Trump?
“Hi there. I may just be a humble rock star. I’m also a knight of the realm, and I have my opinions,” Stewart said. “I was born just after the war [World War II], and I have great respect for our armed forces that fought and gave us our freedom. So it hurts me badly, deeply, when I read that the draft dodger Trump has criticized our troops in Afghanistan for not being on the front line.
“We lost over 400 of our guys,” Stewart continued. “Think of their parents. Think about it. And Trump calls them almost like cowards. It’s unbearable. So I’m calling on you, Prime Minister Starmer and Farage, please make the draft dodger Trump apologize. Please. Thank you.”
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What Did Trump Say About NATO Troops?
Trump once again invited controversy and made international headlines with his flippant remarks about NATO in a Thursday interview with Fox News in Davos, Switzerland.
“I’ve always said, ‘Will they be there, if we ever needed them?’” Trump said of NATO. “And that’s really the ultimate test. And I’m not sure of that. I know that we would have been there, or we would be there, but will they be there?”
The president continued, discussing NATO’s involvement in the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks: “We’ve never needed them. We have never really asked anything of them. You know, they’ll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan, or this or that. And they did – they stayed a little back, a little off the front lines.”
Of the roughly 3,500 allied troops who died in Afghanistan, the U.S. lost the most of any country with 2,456 fallen soldiers. There were also 457 were British troops killed — the second-largest total per country and almost the same amount in terms of relative population, according to CNN.
How Did International Politicians React to Trump’s NATO Comments?
Trump’s NATO comments drew swift condemnation from international politicians, including Prime Minister Starmer.
“I consider President Trump’s remarks to be insulting and frankly appalling, and I’m not surprised they’ve caused such hurt for the loved ones of those who were killed or injured,” Starmer said on Friday.
When asked if he would demand an apology from Trump, Starmer stopped just short of doing so, saying: “If I had misspoken in that way or said those words, I would certainly apologize.”
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The famously unapologetic Trump seemingly walked back his NATO comments on Saturday with a complimentary Truth Social post.
“The GREAT and very BRAVE soldiers of the United Kingdom will always be with the United States of America!” he wrote. “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 U.K. Military, with tremendous Heart and Soul, is second to none (except for the U.S.A.!). We love you all, and always will!”
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Gallery Credit: Allison Rapp
