- Trump's Claim: Donald Trump asserted the US "won" the Afghanistan war and could have maintained indefinite control under his policies, criticising the Biden withdrawal.
- Mercer's Rebuttal: UK Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer, a former soldier with multiple Afghanistan tours, called the claim "utterly ridiculous" due to military and political realities.
- Conflict Context: Mercer highlighted the 20-year campaign's chaotic 2021 conclusion, with Taliban takeover exposing fragility despite Western efforts.
- Broader Reaction: Mercer's remarks join British political and military figures challenging retrospective victory narratives about the NATO-led mission.
London – (Washington Insider Megazines) January 23, 2026 – UK veterans minister and former soldier Johnny Mercer has sharply rejected Donald Trump’s recent assertion that the United States “won” the war in Afghanistan and could have retained control of the country indefinitely. Mercer, who served multiple tours in Afghanistan, described the former US president’s claim as “utterly ridiculous” and inconsistent with the conflict’s military and political realities. His remarks add to a growing chorus of British political and military figures challenging retrospective narratives about the 20‑year campaign and its chaotic conclusion in 2021.
Mercer’s comments follow Trump’s renewed defence of his administration’s approach to Afghanistan and criticism of the withdrawal executed under President Joe Biden. British officials and veterans have repeatedly highlighted the human, strategic, and financial costs of the conflict, arguing that simplistic claims of victory or control do not reflect the complex outcome on the ground.
Minister Carns rejects Trump’s Afghanistan victory narrative
Credit: SETH WENIG/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
In recent interviews and public statements, Trump has claimed that under his leadership, the United States achieved victory in Afghanistan and could have maintained a stable, controlled presence if his policies had continued.
He has argued that his administration’s conditions‑based approach, including negotiations with the Taliban, placed the US in a position of strength prior to the change of administration in Washington.
Mercer, now minister for veterans’ affairs and a former British Army officer who served in Helmand province, responded by stating there was no credible basis for suggesting the West had “won” the war in any conventional sense.
He noted that the rapid takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban in August 2021, following the withdrawal of US‑led forces, demonstrated that the Afghan state remained heavily dependent on international military and financial support.
British experience highlights long conflict costs
The UK was one of the largest contributors to the NATO‑led mission in Afghanistan, deploying tens of thousands of troops over two decades and sustaining significant casualties. British forces were heavily engaged in Helmand and other provinces, operating alongside US and allied units in counterinsurgency, training, and stabilisation roles.
Successive UK governments framed the mission in terms of counter‑terrorism, support for the Afghan government, and prevention of the country being used as a base for international extremist groups. However, officials and analysts have acknowledged that the Taliban’s return to power in 2021 raised fundamental questions about the long‑term effectiveness and legacy of the international intervention.
Kabul’s fall undermines claims of lasting control
Credit: Reuters
The collapse of Afghan government forces and the swift Taliban advance in August 2021 led to the fall of Kabul and an emergency evacuation effort centred on Hamid Karzai International Airport. Images of crowded evacuation flights, desperate civilians at airport gates, and the deaths of Afghan civilians and US personnel in a suicide bombing near the airport underscored the fragility of the security and political structures built over two decades.
For British ministers and military leaders, the events of 2021 undercut any assertion that Western powers had secured a durable victory or could have easily preserved long‑term control without substantial, ongoing commitments. Mercer’s rejection of Trump’s claim reflects that reading of the endgame, which many in London regard as a strategic failure despite tactical achievements during the campaign.
UK veterans’ community questions retrospective claims
Veterans’ organisations and former service personnel in the UK have continued to scrutinise public statements about Afghanistan, particularly those that appear to minimise the complexity of the war or its outcome. Groups representing former soldiers have emphasised the sacrifices made by British and allied troops, as well as Afghan partners, and have called for honest assessments of what was achieved and what was not.
Mercer, who has been outspoken on veterans’ welfare, has linked accurate public narratives about Afghanistan to the need to recognise the experiences and losses of those who served. He has argued that suggesting the war was decisively “won” overlooks the realities faced by troops on the ground and by Afghan civilians now living under Taliban rule.
International partners maintain focus on Afghanistan’s current realities
Credit: Getty Images
Since the Taliban’s return to power, the UK and other NATO allies have shifted to diplomatic, humanitarian, and sanctions‑based tools to address developments in Afghanistan. International efforts have focused on human rights, especially for women and girls, counter‑terrorism concerns, and the severe economic and humanitarian crisis affecting millions of Afghans.
British officials have continued to coordinate with partners in Europe and North America on aid delivery and monitoring of extremist threats, while maintaining that their ability to shape events in Afghanistan is now limited compared with the period of military deployment. In this context, statements that frame the conflict as a clear‑cut victory or a controllable situation are widely viewed in London as disconnected from current conditions in the country.