Pete Hegseth is confronted by a US senator over Nato's Afghanistan dead after claiming only 'one or two' allies fought

Senator Chris Coons told Pete Hegseth that about a third of all combat casualties in America's Afghanistan war were Nato partners. Hegseth replied: 'I would have to go back and check that number, but I take your word for it.' More than 1,100 non-US personnel died in the conflict, including 457 from Britain. Hegseth had told army cadets that 'maybe five' countries contributed.

Andy Burnham's spokesperson said it was 'wrong to diminish' the role of British troops.

Poland's Radosław Sikorski told Hegseth to repeat it to families of 44 fallen Polish soldiers.

Hegseth joked that the coalition's 'ISAF' patch meant 'I Saw Americans Fighting'.