Trump Slams NATO Allies Over Iran

(MENAFN) US President Donald Trump launched a sharp broadside against America’s NATO partners Thursday, accusing them of failing to contribute meaningfully to efforts surrounding Iran as global oil markets reel from mounting tensions in a critical shipping corridor.

“The U.S.A. needs nothing from NATO, but ‘never forget’ this very important point in time,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform, describing Iran as a “lunatic nation, now militarily decimated” and charging that US allies had done “absolutely nothing” to assist.

The outburst follows days of pressure from Trump directed at both allied and rival nations — including China — to help safeguard the Strait of Hormuz, a chokepoint through which a significant share of global oil flows. Disruptions to the waterway have already sent energy prices climbing internationally.

Several European nations pushed back firmly, arguing the conflict with Iran was a war of Trump’s own making — launched without prior consultation with Washington’s longstanding partners.

The remarks represent an escalation of Trump’s already-strained relationship with the transatlantic alliance. He had previously branded NATO’s position a “very foolish mistake,” while simultaneously reiterating that a formal withdrawal remains off the table — for now. However, he left the door open, framing an exit as a viable option should circumstances shift.

Trump’s friction with NATO is not new. Throughout his first term in office, multiple senior White House officials documented instances in which he openly explored pulling the United States out of the decades-old Western defense bloc — a possibility that European capitals have never entirely dismissed.

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