Veterans have branded US Vice President JD Vance a “clown” after he suggested the UK had not fought a war in 40 years.

They accused Donald Trump’s henchman of besmirching the memory of the 636 British troops who died fighting alongside the United States in Afghanistan and Iraq.

Afghanistan veteran and former Tory Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer said: “Vance needs to wind his neck in. Show a bit of respect and stop making yourself look so unpleasant”, adding: “This clown needs to check his privilege.”

Former Royal Marine Ben McBean, who lost two limbs in Afghanistan after stepping on a Taliban landmine in 2008, told the Daily Express of his anger.

“I think it was out of order,” he said.

“It’s really disrespectful. Over 600 people died. That means there must be over 1,000 injured, then you have just got someone dismissing it.”

The 38-year-old – who has previously been hailed a “hero” by Prince Harry – added: “I got injured 17 years ago.

“But I can remember it all like it happened four seconds ago. It doesn’t take a lot to go back. “Then this muppet starts gobbing off.

“So when you get someone saying something like that, it won’t take a lot for veterans to be upset.”

Mr Vance ramped up transatlantic tensions as he poured cold water over Sir Keir Starmer’s plan for a “coalition of the willing” to secure peace in Ukraine.

The White House motormouth told Fox News: “If you want real security guarantees, if you want to actually ensure that Vladimir Putin does not invade Ukraine again, the very best security guarantee is to give Americans economic upside in the future of Ukraine.

“That is a way better security guarantee than 20,000 troops from some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years.”

Britain and France have said they would be willing to put troops on the ground in Ukraine as part of a peace deal.

Mr Vance has since scrambled to insist he did not “even mention the UK or France,” adding both had “fought bravely alongside the US over the last 20 years, and beyond”.

However, he did not specify which country or countries he was referring to.

In a post on social media, he added: “But let’s be direct: there are many countries who are volunteering (privately or publicly) support who have neither the battlefield experience nor the military equipment to do anything meaningful.”

Mr Vance’s original comments provoked a furious backlash from military veterans and politicians.

Afghanistan veteran Johnny Ball said: “The despicable comments from JD Vance are deeply upsetting for many of us who served in coalitions with our American allies during the worst of times.”

The co-founder of the Afghanistan Veterans Community added: “Whilst such comments seek to divide, what endures is the deep love and affection we have for our fellow veterans from across the Atlantic.”

Tory shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge pointed to how NATO allies rushed to America’s aid after the 9/11 attacks, when the US invoked the alliance’s Article 5 collective defence clause.

“Britain and France came to their aid deploying thousands of personnel to Afghanistan, including my own brother and numerous parliamentary colleagues past and present,” Mr Cartlidge said.

“It’s deeply disrespectful to ignore such service and sacrifice.”

But Tory leader Kemi Badenoch appeared to side with the Vice President.

“I know JD Vance quite well. I’ve looked at the comments, I don’t think he actually said that,” she said.

“A lot of people are getting carried away. They’re saying loads of things and getting quite animated. Let’s keep cool heads.”

Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty, noted how Mr Vance wrote in his 2016 memoir that he was “lucky to escape any real fighting” during his time as a Marine Corps journalist in Iraq.

Mr Obese-Jecty, who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan himself, added: “To suggest Britain did not pay our share of blood and treasure does a disservice to the close relationship between our two militaries.”

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, a friend of the US President,also weighed in, saying “JD Vance is wrong. Wrong wrong wrong.”

Downing Street refused to be drawn on whether the prime minister found the comments insulting or disrespectful but said he was “full of admiration for all British troops who have served, for instance in Iraq and Afghanistan”.

The UK joined the US invasion of Afghanistan in October 2001, following the 9/11 attacks, with France also sending forces to the country.

More than 150,000 British personnel have served in Afghanistan over the last 20 years, with the final troops withdrawing in 2021.

The UK was also part of a US-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003, with British forces in the country peaking at 46,000.

Mr Vance’s comments came as the US paused military aid to Ukraine, following an explosive spat between President Donald Trump and Volodymyr Zelensky in the Oval Office last week.

President Zelensky left the White House before a proposed deal on sharing Ukrainian minerals with American companies could be signed.

Sir Keir has said US security guarantees – such as air cover – will be needed to deter Vladimir Putin from invading Ukraine again, if there is a deal to end the war.

However, Mr Trump, who was due to address the US Congress last night (Tue), has so far refused to offer this, instead arguing that US workers in Ukraine as part of a minerals deal could provide such assurances.

Mr Zelensky said that he and his team “stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts”.

In a post on X, he said: “My team and I stand ready to work under President Trump’s strong leadership to get a peace that lasts.”

Referencing last week’s Oval Office bust-up he said: “Our meeting in Washington, at the White House on Friday, did not go the way it was supposed to be. It is regrettable that it happened this way. It is time to make things right.”