U.S. President Donald Trump is moving to formally consider a "retaliation card" against North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member countries he judged did not support the United States during the Iran war. With talk of U.S. troop redeployments and base closures, as well as the possibility of leaving NATO, rifts in the trans-Atlantic alliance appear to be deepening.
On the 8th (local time), the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that the White House is reviewing a plan to withdraw U.S. forces from NATO members that were uncooperative during the Iran war and redeploy troops to cooperative countries. It is also discussing closing U.S. military bases in some European countries.
Spain refused to allow U.S. military aircraft involved in the Iran operation to pass through its airspace, and Germany publicly criticized the war. Italy and France also restricted the use of U.S. bases, drawing U.S. displeasure. In contrast, Poland, Romania, Lithuania and Greece are categorized as cooperative countries and are being mentioned as potential destinations for increased U.S. deployments.
White House Spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said at a briefing that "over the past few weeks NATO has turned its back on the United States," adding, "It is very disappointing given that the United States has been responsible for their security." President Trump also publicly criticized NATO on Truth Social, saying, "NATO was not there when we needed it, and it will not be there in the future."
The WSJ analyzed that the move goes beyond a simple military redeployment and shows that fissures between the United States and its European allies are widening. About 84,000 U.S. troops are currently stationed across Europe. Some observers say tensions with Russia could rise further if these forces move to Eastern Europe.
Furthermore, President Trump is publicly mentioning the possibility of leaving NATO. The White House said Trump would discuss the withdrawal issue in a meeting with the NATO secretary-general. However, the United States would need congressional approval to exit NATO, posing significant hurdles to actual implementation.
Meanwhile, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte moved to address Trump's complaints, saying, "The vast majority of European countries have already kept their promises." In an interview with CNN, he pushed back against Trump's criticism that NATO members had "been put to the (U.S.) test and failed," saying, "That is partly true, but many European countries have played roles in providing bases, supplying materiel and allowing airspace transit."