Trump suggests cutting U.S. defense support for NATO after Iran tension

“I think it was a huge mistake that NATO didn’t back us,” Trump said. ““It’s going to make a lot of money for the United States because we spend hundreds of billions of dollars a year on NATO, hundreds of — protecting them, and we would have always been there for them, but now, based on their actions, I guess we don’t have to be, do we?””

Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO allies in recent days. On March 26, he said member states had done nothing to assist the United States in its standoff with Tehran.

“NATO countries have done absolutely nothing to help with the rogue state — Iran — which has now been militarily defeated,” he wrote on his Truth Social platform.

On March 20, Trump said that “without the United States, NATO is a paper tiger,” again accusing allies of failing to support U.S. military efforts against Iran.

“Cowards — and we will remember that!” he wrote.

Earlier, on March 17, Trump said the United States did not need NATO support in a conflict with Iran, adding that he had “always known the Alliance would never help the U.S.”

“I’m not surprised by their actions, because I have always seen NATO — which we spend hundreds of billions of dollars a year to defend these same countries — as a one-way street. We defend them, but they do nothing for us, especially in difficult times,” he said.

On March 15, Trump said the United States was discussing joint patrols of the Strait of Hormuz with seven countries. He also warned NATO faced a “very bad” future if allies failed to help ensure security in the strategic waterway.