JD Vance Refutes Claims of Insulting British Troops Over ‘Random Country’ Comment | Politics News

March 4, 2025 TruthUSA

JD Vance has responded to backlash after commenting that a proposed peacekeeping force in Ukraine would consist of “20,000 troops from some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years”.

The U.S. vice president faced accusations of “disrespecting” British troops who served with American forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, with a former veterans minister labeling him a “clown” who needs to “check his privilege”.

Politics latest: Trump ending aid to Ukraine is ‘deeply concerning’

While the UK and France are the only nations to have committed troops to a potential peacekeeping force, Mr. Vance stated that the notion he was referring to these two allies is “absurdly dishonest”.

“I don’t even mention the UK or France in the clip, both of whom have fought valiantly alongside the U.S. over the last 20 years, and beyond,” he remarked in a post on X.

“There are many nations offering (either privately or publicly) support that lack both the battlefield experience and the military equipment to contribute effectively.”

Mr. Vance made the initial remarks during an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, asserting that the sole security assurance Donald Trump will extend to Ukraine is a minerals agreement.

He stated: “The president understands that if you want genuine U.S. security assurances, you need to make sure that Vladimir Putin doesn’t invade Ukraine again, and the best security assurance is to provide Americans with economic benefits from Ukraine’s future.”

“That represents a far superior security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random nation that hasn’t engaged in armed conflict in 30 or 40 years.”

Several British politicians perceived this as a slight directed at the UK and France, both of which have championed the concept of a “coalition of the willing” to deploy troops to Ukraine should a ceasefire be achieved.

James Cartlidge, the shadow defence secretary, accused Mr. Vance of “disregarding the service and sacrifice” of personnel from both countries who fought in Afghanistan post-9/11.

He noted that this was the only occasion when NATO’s Article 5 was invoked, which asserts that alliance members will come to the aid of an ally under attack.

He added: “Britain and France sent troops to Afghanistan to assist, which included many parliamentary colleagues, both past and present. It is deeply disrespectful to overlook such service and sacrifice.”

Former Tory veterans minister Johnny Mercer referred to Mr. Vance as a “clown” who “needs to check his privilege”.

Helen Maguire, the Lib Dem defence spokesperson and former army member, criticized Mr. Trump’s deputy for “erasing the sacrifices of countless British troops in Iraq and Afghanistan from history”.

She stated: “Six members of my regiment, the Royal Military Police, did not make it back from Iraq. This is a troubling attempt to deny that reality. Vance has demeaned his office.”

After Mr. Vance clarified his comments, a spokesperson for Downing Street indicated that the U.S. vice president was “referring to other countries” when asked if he should apologize.

They added that Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer “holds British troops who fought alongside the U.S. and others in wars in high esteem for their courage and bravery”.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch remarked on GB News that “many individuals are becoming overly agitated”.

“They are making numerous statements and getting quite worked up; let’s maintain our composure,” she stated.

“I believe President Trump and JD Vance desire peace and are prioritizing their national interests; we must do the same.”

This isn’t the first occasion Mr. Vance has stirred controversy in the UK, having previously criticized it for issues related to free speech and claiming the UK is “Islamist under Labour”.

A history of JD Vance causing a stir in the UK

JD Vance often reserves some of his most provocative remarks for the UK.

Donald Trump’s vice president has consistently ignited outrage among MPs, most recently with an apparent slight towards British forces.

During last year’s presidential election campaign, Mr. Vance suggested that Labour’s victory in the UK signified Britain’s emergence as the “first genuinely Islamist nation” to possess nuclear arms.

In referencing a discussion about which country might first obtain nuclear capabilities, he proposed the UK, attributing this to Labour’s recent victory.

Mr. Vance also leveraged a pivotal speech at the Munich Security Conference to critique the UK and Europe regarding free speech, asserting there had been a “regression away from conscience rights,” putting the “basic liberties of religious Britons, in particular, in jeopardy”.

He reiterated those statements during Sir Keir Starmer’s meeting with Donald Trump in the Oval Office last week, arguing that the government’s position affects US tech companies, and consequently, American citizens.

Sir Keir interjected, asserting, “we’ve had free speech for a very long time; it will endure, and we remain very proud of that”.

This unfolding controversy follows the Trump administration halting military aid to Ukraine amidst a dramatic confrontation between U.S. President and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

This rift puts the prospect of a minerals agreement in jeopardy, which would grant the U.S. access to Ukraine’s rare earth minerals.

Mr. Trump has suggested that this deal would discourage Russia from launching further invasions of Ukraine if a peace agreement is established – yet Sir Keir stated yesterday that this alone would not suffice.

The Prime Minister emphasized to MPs on Monday that Britain must “lead from the front” in supporting Ukraine and that Europe must “carry the heavy lifting to foster peace on our continent”.

However, he made it clear that “for this effort to succeed, robust U.S. backing is essential”.

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