The president made a blistering statement after meeting with the NATO secretary-general, while the White House said the US could quit
US President Donald Trump has once again lashed out at NATO over the inaction of European allies during the war with Iran. The sharp rebuke came after a meeting with Secretary‑General Mark Rutte in Washington on Wednesday.
“NATO WASN’T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON’T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN,” Trump posted on Thursday on his social media platform Truth Social.
Trump’s anger follows weeks of criticism of European NATO members for what he sees as their refusal to support US efforts, particularly in opening the strategic Strait of Hormuz effectively closed by Tehran.
Commenting on the closed-door talks with the US president, Rutte described the exchange as a “very frank, very open” discussion between “two good friends.” He said in a Thursday interview with CNN, however, that Trump was “clearly disappointed” that US allies had refused to take part in the Iran war. Asked multiple times if Trump had said if he would leave the alliance, Rutte did not answer directly.
Also on Thursday, Bloomberg reported, citing a senior NATO official, that during the meeting Washington requested concrete commitments from European allies to secure the Strait of Hormuz, asking them to present plans to ensure navigation through the waterway within days.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: rt.com
