“My thoughts are with the veterans, your families and your loved ones, who in no way deserved this,” the Danish leader added.
The controversy has also drawn sharp reactions from other NATO allies. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer described Trump’s remarks as “insulting and frankly appalling”, saying it was unsurprising that they had caused distress to the families of those killed or injured. The UK lost 457 soldiers during the NATO mission in Afghanistan.
Troops from several other countries, including Canada, France, Germany, Italy and Denmark, also lost their lives during the conflict.
The White House has pushed back against the criticism. In a statement, spokeswoman Taylor Rogers defended Trump’s comments, arguing that the United States had contributed more to NATO than all other alliance members combined.
The dispute has highlighted renewed tensions within the alliance and reopened painful memories of a long and costly war for many NATO nations.