‘Insensitive, heartless, plain wrong’: Former NZ Defence Minister slams Trump over Afghanistan comments
Saturday, 24 January 2026
Former Defence Minister Ron Mark says US President Donald Trump crossed a line over his “heartless and brutal” comments that NATO troops stayed away from the front line in the Afghanistan war.
Current Defence Minister Judith Collins has also responded after Trump told Fox News he wasn’t sure NATO would be there to support the United States.
“We’ve never needed them, we have never really asked anything of them,' Trump said while in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday.
'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.”
Mark, a former soldier and NZ First MP, served as Defence Minister from 2017-2020, including when Kiwi troops were deployed to Afghanistan. He told Stuff the comments would do lasting damage.
“It just beggars belief that someone could be so insensitive, so heartless, so brutal,” said Mark, also a Minister for Veterans’ Affairs.
“For President Trump to make such a statement is beyond disappointing. It's callous, it's brutal, it's offensive, and it's plain wrong. And I'm looking forward to hearing his apology and retraction, which he no doubt will make somewhere along the line, but only if governments stand up and say what they truly think right now, because I think he's crossed the line.
“I just wonder if he has any comprehension at all, as to the degree of damage that that's done to his own integrity, and to the integrity of the United States.”
New Zealand is not a member of NATO (the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation, whose members are in Europe and North America), but is a close partner and has contributed to NATO military deployments, including in Afghanistan.
In a statement to Stuff, current Defence Minister Judith Collins didn’t directly criticise Trump or his comments.
'New Zealand is proud of the service of personnel who deployed to Afghanistan. We responded to the call for assistance alongside our partners, and our people served willingly and with professionalism in challenging and often dangerous conditions,” Collins said.
'We continue to honour the memory of New Zealand Defence Force personnel who lost their lives in Afghanistan, and we acknowledge the enduring loss felt by their families, friends, and colleagues.
'New Zealand takes great pride in the professionalism, courage, and commitment shown by all those who served there.'
Mark said the New Zealand and other Western governments were walking a diplomatic tightrope, worried that any criticism or push-back would lead to retaliation, including in the form of tariffs that could do economic damage.
“Our government has a very, very difficult task. I know that the Minister for Foreign Affairs [Mark’s former NZ First colleague Winston Peters] does a great job walking that tightrope and trying to protect the integrity of the relationship, or what's best out of the relationship.”
However, he said Trump’s comments were so egregious that “this is just one of those moments where one needs to be seen to stand up and to draw a line”.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called on Trump to apologise, while paying tribute to the 457 British personnel who died in Afghanistan.
“I will never forget their courage, their bravery and the sacrifice they made for their country,” Starmer said. “I consider President Trump’s remarks to be insulting and frankly appalling and I am not surprised they have caused such hurt to the loved ones of those who were killed or injured and, in fact, across the country.”
Prince Harry, who served in Afghanistan, also responded.
'In 2001, NATO invoked Article 5 for the first - and only - time in history. It meant that every allied nation was obliged to stand with the United States in Afghanistan, in pursuit of our shared security. Allies answered that call,” Harry said in his statement.
'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. Those sacrifices deserve to be spoken about truthfully and with respect, as we all remain united and loyal to the defence of diplomacy and peace.'
Mark told Stuff that European leaders had “shown great patience and diplomacy up until this point”.
“But I think he this time round, he's insulted the memories, the service, the honour, the integrity of every family, every soldier, every soldier's friend who served in Afghanistan as part of NATO forces, and through that, he's done the same to every other nation that wasn't a member of NATO, but who responded to America's call for help.
“[Our veterans] won't just be offended for themselves. They'll be offended for all of their good mates from other countries, the people they served alongside, for people who responded to them when they needed help, who brought in air support, who brought in the fire support.
“You're talking about a brotherhood and a sisterhood born from battle, sealed in blood - and these are bonds that are very, very personal. For someone to make such a disparaging comment about their effort, their sacrifice, is just simply unbelievable. But I guess unbelievable is what we're getting to have to believe these days.”
Over 3500 New Zealanders took part in our 20-year military deployment to Afghanistan, which claimed the lives of 10 Kiwi soldiers, and ended in 2021.
Troops were first sent to contribute in an international coalition force installed after a United States-led invasion toppled the country’s Taliban rulers, a response to the 9/11 terror attack.
According to some estimates, the war in Afghanistan caused more than 50,000 civilian casualties, including injuries and deaths.