Trump Claims NATO Allies Are Unnecessary in Actions Against Iran

U.S. President Donald Trump has sparked controversy with his remarks about NATO's involvement in military operations against Iran. During a speech at the White House, he emphasized that he does not need assistance from allies for this operation, while simultaneously criticizing them for their lack of action. These statements from Trump were reported in an article prepared by 'European Truth.'

Trump highlighted that the United States spends trillions of dollars on NATO, yet, in his view, when military support is needed, allies fail to respond adequately. 'We spend trillions of dollars on NATO, and when we need them, they are never there. Honestly, we didn’t need them here either. I actually asked because I wanted to see what they would do. The last thing I needed was for NATO to interfere in our affairs, because it’s a paper tiger,' Trump stated.

In his comments, the U.S. president recalled a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, during which he inquired about the possibility of receiving military support from France. 'So I call the Frenchman Macron, whose wife thinks very poorly of him. And he’s still recovering from a jaw injury. And I say: 'Emmanuel, we would love to get help in the Persian Gulf, even though we are setting records for taking out bad people and shooting down ballistic missiles... If you can, could you please send ships immediately?' Trump recounted.

According to Trump, Macron responded that he could only fulfill this request after the war in Iran concluded. 'No, no, I don’t need to wait until after the victory in the war, Emmanuel. Many of them said: 'We will be there after the war is over.' And that’s how I learned about NATO. NATO will not be there if we ever have a big war,' the U.S. president emphasized.

Trump also mentioned another phone call, this time with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, during which he requested to send 'two old broken aircraft carriers' to the Middle East. Starmer, in turn, replied that he would consult with his team the following week. Commenting on this response, Trump noted that 'the war is going on right now.'

These statements from Trump echo his previous remarks about a possible U.S. exit from NATO. They came after weeks of criticism directed at allies who refused to participate in a military operation to unblock the Strait of Hormuz. In response, Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur stated that NATO allies do not understand what kind of support the United States is seeking in Iran, as they have not received specific requests.

Thus, the situation surrounding NATO and its role in military conflicts continues to be tense, and Trump's position is generating significant debate within the international community. The question of whether NATO can effectively respond to the challenges it faces remains open.