The White House has reportedly prepared a list classifying North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member countries by their contributions to the alliance. As U.S. President Donald Trump publicly aired frustration with allies that were uncooperative during the Iran war, some say the classification could lead to a form of "retaliation," such as a redeployment of U.S. troops.
On the 22nd, Politico, citing three European diplomats and one U.S. Department of Defense official, reported that the list was prepared ahead of Mark Rutte's visit to the White House on the 8th.
The list is said to include an overview of each member's contribution to the alliance and to rank members by grade based on that. Politico described it as a list that divides countries into "nice allies" and "naughty allies."
The list is being read as a signal that Trump could take concrete measures against uncooperative allies. Earlier, Trump asked allies to send warships to ensure tanker traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran had blocked. But NATO's European allies did not comply, and Trump publicly criticized them strongly.
Anna Kelly, a White House deputy spokesperson, said, "The United States has always been there for so‑called allies, but the countries we have protected by deploying thousands of troops were not there for us throughout Operation 'Majestic Fury' (the U.S. military operation against Iran)."
She added, "President Trump has made his views clear on this unfair dynamic, and as he said, the United States will remember it."
It is not known what kind of retaliation Trump might take against so‑called "naughty allies," but some have raised the possibility of redeploying U.S. forces stationed in Europe—moving troops from uncooperative countries to cooperative ones. However, such redeployment would inevitably require significant expense and time.
Other ideas being discussed include scaling back joint military exercises or weapons sales to uncooperative allies and redirecting them to cooperative allies.
It is not clear which countries were classified how on the list. During the Iran war, Spain, the United Kingdom, and France either refused U.S. requests for support or delayed decisions. Romania, by contrast, allowed the United States to use its air base, and some countries, including Bulgaria, were said to have quietly backed U.S. logistics support in the Middle East.
Because there is little precedent for imposing disadvantages on allies, some predict the chances of this being realized are low due to congressional pushback. Sen. Roger Wicker, a Republican who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee, said ahead of a committee hearing the previous day, "It does not help for American leaders to speak in a tone that seems to mock our allies," adding, "We should be clear‑eyed about the numerous political, strategic and moral benefits our nation gains through alliances."