President says U.S. “likely doesn’t have to be there” as NATO allies decline direct involvement in military operations
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
President Donald Trump said Friday that the United States may no longer need to maintain its longstanding role within NATO, citing what he described as a lack of support from alliance members during ongoing military operations against Iran.
Speaking at the Future Investment Initiative Institute summit in Miami Beach, Florida, Trump criticized NATO countries for not contributing troops, aircraft, or logistical assistance during the conflict.
“I think a tremendous mistake was when NATO just wasn’t there. They just weren’t there. 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—protecting them,” Trump said. “We would have always been there for them, but now, based on their actions, I guess we don’t have to be, do we?”
He continued, “That sounds like a breaking story? Yes, sir. Is that breaking news? I think we just have breaking news, but that’s the fact. I’ve been saying that. Why would we be there for them if they’re not there for us? They weren’t there for us.”
The remarks follow the joint U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Iran that began Feb. 28. While several NATO countries have expressed opposition to the operation or declined participation, the United States later sought international assistance to secure maritime routes in the Strait of Hormuz.
More than 20 countries, many of them NATO members, subsequently pledged support for ensuring safe passage through the waterway, though most did not commit direct military assets to combat operations.
Trump has repeatedly voiced dissatisfaction with allied responses. During a March 26 cabinet meeting, he pointed to what he described as limited backing from traditional partners.
“[UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer] didn’t want to help us. Australia too was not great, I was a little surprised by Australia,” Trump said.
Officials in several European countries have cited concerns over the operation’s scope and the absence of prior consultation as reasons for not joining the military effort. Spain blocked U.S. access to its military bases for use in operations tied to the conflict, stating the campaign was inconsistent with the United Nations Charter.
Germany also declined participation. “This is not our war; we have not started it,” Defense Minister Boris Pistorius said on March 16.
Trump also noted that he had requested additional support from the United Kingdom, including the deployment of two aircraft carriers, which he said was denied.
France has taken a more limited role, dispatching an aircraft carrier to the eastern Mediterranean while stopping short of joining combat operations. “We are not party to the conflict,” President Emmanuel Macron said on March 17. “But we are ready in the Strait of Hormuz, with our partners, to guarantee freedom of navigation when conditions permit.”
Trump’s comments underscore ongoing tensions within the alliance as member states weigh their positions on the Middle East conflict and broader questions about collective defense commitments.
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