Trump in NATO: “I tested people,” the US president said, “very disappointed” in NATO’s response to the Iran war | Today’s news
US President Donald Trump said he was “very disappointed” by NATO allies’ response to the Iran war. “I was very disappointed in NATO,” Trump told reporters Tuesday as he met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan after arriving in Ankara for a summit of NATO leaders. The US president also said he was “testing” whether NATO allies would support Washington in a war between Israel, Iran and the US.
For years, Trump has openly questioned whether America’s closest allies are strong enough, loyal enough or useful enough to deserve the protection they’ve relied on since World War II.
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The refusal of some allies to open air bases for US strikes on Iran – or to send forces to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz – cemented his skepticism of NATO into open contempt.
In the weeks since the Iran war, Trump has repeatedly humiliated European leaders, even those who once believed their personal relationship with him offered some protection. He mocked Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, claiming she “begged” him for a photo at the G7, and on Monday shared his meme with the caption “Warrant needed”.
Trump also revealed the resignation of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer before branding him weak, suggesting his caution on Iran meant he was no Churchill. Even NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, long considered Europe’s leading “Trump whisperer,” didn’t get it last month, despite presenting a gold-lettered chart celebrating what he called the “Trump trillion” in allied defense spending.
Trump admits he “tested” NATO allies
Trump told reporters Tuesday during a meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara ahead of a summit of NATO leaders that the episode exposed doubts about the alliance’s reliability.
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“I was very disappointed in NATO,” Trump told reporters. “We didn’t need any help at all and I was kind of testing people,” he said. “I was testing if they would be there or not because I’ve been saying for a long time that we helped them but I’m not sure they would be there for us.
Relations with Meloni “heated” over the stance in the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump also revealed friction with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, saying her refusal to support US positions in the Strait of Hormuz and Iran has strained relations between the two leaders, despite his continued personal respect for her.
“She refused to engage in the Strait of Hormuz, or you could also say only Iran,” Trump said. “So it kind of messed up my relationship with her. But I like her. I think she’s a nice person. But I think she made a mistake.”
Trump argued that Italy’s heavy reliance on Gulf oil imports makes its reluctance remarkable, contrasting it with America’s domestic energy resources.
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“We have a lot of oil. The United States has more oil than anybody else. And when you add Venezuela, it’s like we have a lot more oil than anybody else. We don’t need the straits,” he said.
“We’re doing it because we think it’s an important thing. But she just wasn’t there for us. And I wasn’t happy about that,” Trump added.
Erdogan and Turkey’s role in the “denuclearization” of Iran
As for Turkey’s stance, Trump praised Erdogan’s understanding of Iran and credited Ankara for playing a constructive role in trying to end the hostilities, which he characterized not as a war but as a mission to denuclearize Tehran.
“They know Iran very well and they know the problems with Iran,” Trump said of Turkish officials. “Along with several other countries, they have been very helpful.
“In terms of our relationship, including trying to end the war with Iran, or whatever you want to call it, it’s not even a war. It’s a military operation. It’s denuclearization,” he said.
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Trump noted that Turkey, despite its military might, has chosen to stay out of direct involvement in the conflict.
“He could have gone to war,” Trump said, calling Turkey a “very strong military nation.”
On the issue of Iran’s nuclear ambitions, Trump suggested Erdogan shares Washington’s opposition to Tehran getting the weapon.
“I don’t think he wants to see them have a nuclear weapon,” Trump said. “I’m pretty sure of it. In fact, I’m absolutely sure of it.”
The remarks came as NATO leaders gathered in Ankara for a summit to address the fallout from the Iran conflict and broader issues of alliance solidarity and burden-sharing among member states.
