The US ambassador to the Netherlands has issued a statement on social media in which he says he sees “no indication” that president Donald Trump’s comments about Nato allies in Afghanistan were directed at the Netherlands.

Ambassador Joe Popolo was responding to angry comments from politicians, Dutch army veterans and relatives of soldiers killed in action after Trump had downplayed the role of Nato troops.

During his visit to the World Economic Forum last week, Trump said Nato troops had stayed “a bit in the background” and away from the front lines during the Afghanistan mission. He also questioned whether Nato allies would “be there” if the United States “ever needed them”, comments he later repeated to Fox News.

Between 2002 and 2021, the Netherlands deployed more than 30,000 service personnel to Afghanistan. Twenty-five Dutch soldiers were killed, several during combat operations. In total, 51 countries took part in the ISAF mission.

Popolo said on Monday that the “United States recognises and honours the Dutch heroes who gave their lives fighting shoulder to shoulder with American service members in Afghanistan, following the United States’ 2001 invocation of Article 5 in response to the September 11 attacks.”

The United States, he went on, “values the Netherlands’ steadfast commitment to Nato and its dedication to defending democracy and individual freedom as part of the coalition of the willing.”

Hundreds of people commented on the post, with many pointing out that Trump directed his comments at “Nato allies” in general.

“With all due respect: Trump only bothered to walk back his statement for the UK, not for the Netherlands or other allies,” said Dutch army veteran Roy Grinwis.  “Maybe he should learn to think before he speaks, instead of leaving diplomats to clean up the mess afterwards.”

Dutch foreign affairs minister David van Weel earlier described Trump’s comments as “disrespectful and untrue,” while former Dutch army major Henry Beukers told broadcaster NOS the claim was deeply hurtful. “We fought shoulder to shoulder with the Americans on the front line,” he said.

Popolo, a businessman, was nominated by former president Donald Trump in early January 2025 and confirmed in October last year.