WASHINGTON (Realist English). US President Donald Trump, during a meeting with NATO Secretary‑General Mark Rutte at the White House on June 24, launched a sharp attack on European allies, accusing them of insufficient support for Washington during the recent war with Iran.
The White House chief demanded “loyalty” from alliance members, effectively questioning the value of the transatlantic partnership.
‘We Were Let Down’: Trump’s List of Grievances
When asked by journalists how European allies could improve relations with the US, Trump did not mince words. He said he was “disappointed” by the response of several key NATO members, including Italy, the United Kingdom, Germany and France.
“I was disappointed in Italy. I was disappointed in the UK. We were disappointed in Germany and France. We’re disappointed in most of them,” the US leader said. Trump was particularly harsh on Spain, calling the situation with Madrid a “nightmare” and accusing Spanish authorities of “not wanting to pay for anything” and believing they are in a “free rental.”
The US president stressed that Washington does not need money or military assistance from its allies, but expects loyalty. “I just want loyalty,” Trump said. “We are so loyal to them, we always fight for them. We have thousands of troops across Europe.
In Germany we have 50,000 troops, and when we ask for a small favour, they say ‘no, we can’t do that’.”
Conflict That Exposed Divisions
Trump’s remarks came amid ongoing tensions between Washington and European capitals, sparked by the US-Israeli war against Iran that began on February 28. The US leader has repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction that European allies did not provide adequate support, and some even questioned the need for military action.
According to Trump, the allies did not offer help, although “it would have been nice if they had said, ‘We want to help’.” He also noted that his decision to attend the upcoming NATO summit in Ankara (July 7–8) was made solely “out of respect” for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.
Attempt to Smooth Over Contradictions
NATO Secretary‑General Mark Rutte, for his part, tried to soften Trump’s criticism and reaffirm the alliance’s commitment to shared goals. He recalled that during the Iran conflict, between 4,000 and 5,000 US aircraft took off from European bases, and dismissed suggestions that European allies had let the US down.
Rutte also expressed confidence that Trump is “fully committed” to NATO, and noted progress in increasing defence spending by European members and Canada. According to him, spending rose by nearly 20% in a single year, reaching an increase of $139 billion.
“Europeans and Canada are now on a trajectory to match their spending with the United States,” Rutte said.
Trump had previously called NATO a “paper tiger” and threatened to leave the alliance over its refusal to help the US reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
The new wave of criticism ahead of the Ankara summit threatens to further strain already difficult relations between Washington and its European partners.