During a heated congressional hearing, Senator Tammy Duckworth clashed with Secretary of State Marco Rubio over remarks made by Trump last week, in which the president said allied troops in Afghanistan stayed "a little back, a little off the front lines."
The comments provoked anger among the Polish public and authorities, as well as other NATO allies.
Speaking at a US Senate hearing on Wednesday, Duckworth said: "When I served in Iraq, there were Polish forces there with us, there were British forces there with us, there were Spanish forces there with us."
The senator, who lost both legs while serving in Iraq, drew particular attention to Polish forces.
"Polish troops have worked with the Illinois military, with the Illinois National Guard for 30 years, died in Afghanistan, Mr Secretary," she added.
Rubio responded by saying that not all countries assisted the United States in Afghanistan and that the president’s point was about motivating allied nations to increase their defence capabilities.
"That's not what the president said," Duckworth countered.
Duckworth is an American politician and Iraq War veteran who lost both her legs serving as a helicopter pilot.
She now serves as a Democratic US senator from Illinois.
(ał/gs)
Source: IAR