Trump Blasts NATO as Absolutely Useless Following Refusal to Join Iran War

Speaking in Arizona, the US president compared NATO to late campaign donors and dismissed the conflict with Tehran as a mere “military excursion.” Make us preferred on Google Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied US President Donald Trump addresses a Turning Point USA event entitled "Build the Red Wall" at Dream City Church in Phoenix, Arizona, on April 17, 2026. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP) Content Share Facebook X (Twitter) LinkedIn Bluesky Email Copy Copied Flip Make us preferred on Google US President Donald Trump launched a fresh attack on NATO during a Turning Point Action event in Arizona, accusing the alliance of failing to support the US and Israel in the conflict against Iran, NBC reported. Addressing a supportive crowd that booed at the mention of the North Atlantic Alliance, Trump declared that NATO proved to be “absolutely useless when we needed them.” He compared the alliance’s current stance to a donor attempting to contribute to a political campaign after the election has already been won. “Campaign contributions after I won don’t count,” Trump said. “And NATO, after we won, that doesn’t count either.” Follow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official . The president also downplayed the scale of the conflict with Tehran, referring to it as a “military excursion” rather than a significant historical event. “This isn’t the biggie. This isn’t the big time,” he added. Trump’s frustration stems largely from the refusal of several NATO members to join efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz or provide airspace for military operations. The tension between Washington and its allies has reached a turning point. While a fragile two-week ceasefire between the US and Iran was agreed upon on April 8, it has done little to mend the rift within the alliance. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte previously attempted to soften Trump’s stance by highlighting European contributions to logistics and overflights, but the White House maintains that the alliance “turned its back on the American people.” Other Topics of Interest War in the Middle East: Latest Developments Iran will close the strategic Strait of Hormuz again if the United States continues its blockade of Iranian ports, parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Saturday. Trump’s rhetoric has revived concerns about a potential US withdrawal or the redeployment of American troops from “less supportive” NATO countries to more cooperative states. While former US Ambassador to NATO Ivo Daalder argued that the alliance was never formally asked to participate in the conflict, Trump continues to insist that NATO’s failure to act during the crisis has rendered it obsolete in its current form. Kyiv Post is Ukraine’s first and oldest English news organization since 1995. Its international market reach of 97% outside of Ukraine makes it truly Ukraine’s Global – and most reliable – Voice.