Why did President Trump's Nato comments spark such outrage?

US president Donald Trump claimed in an interview last Thursday that Nato troops "stayed a little back, a little off the front lines" during fighting in Afghanistan in the years after 2001. The comments sparked anger, particularly in the UK, and at the weekend Trump praised the role of UK soldiers in the conflict.    But what's the history behind the reaction? In this episode of HistoryExtra’s series History Behind the Headlines: Briefing, Sam Edwards from Loughborough University explores the relationship between the US and Nato since 9/11. ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST  For further historical analysis of the latest breaking news, don't miss HistoryExtra's History Behind the Headlines podcast: https://play.megaphone.fm/vv4s-xn6tfmntfojkacmna And if you’ve enjoyed this episode, why not become a member of HistoryExtra for access to thousands of ad-free podcasts, hundreds of hours of video and a huge archive of articles from leading historians: https://www.historyextra.com/subscribe/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices