Rod Stewart has branded Donald Trump a “draft dodger” after the US president falsely claimed Nato soldiers avoided the front lines in Afghanistan. In an interview with Fox News, Trump downplayed Nato’s contribution, saying troops “stayed a little back, a little off the front lines.”
The 81-year-old rocker, a former neighbour of Trump in Palm Beach, posted a video on Instagram criticising the president. “I was born just after World War II, and I’d like respect for our armed forces who fought and gave us our freedom,” Stewart said. “It hurts me badly, deeply, that I read the draft dodger Trump is criticising our troops in Afghanistan for not being on the front line.”
Stewart noted that the UK lost over 400 soldiers in the conflict, and called Trump’s remarks “unbearable”. He urged Prime Minister Keir Starmer to demand an apology from Trump. The White House has been contacted for comment.
Trump’s comments also drew criticism from Prince Harry, a veteran who served two frontline tours in Afghanistan. He said the sacrifices of British soldiers “deserve to be spoken about truthfully and with respect.”
Trump later backtracked after a phone call with Starmer, posting on Truth Social that British soldiers were “among the greatest of all warriors” and that the bond between the US and UK is “too strong to ever be broken.”
