President Donald Trump renewed criticism of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization while revisiting his past push to acquire Greenland, signaling continued skepticism about U.S. reliance on traditional allies.
Trump Revives NATO Criticism, Greenland Debate
On Wednesday, Trump posted on Truth Social, questioning NATO’s reliability and referencing his earlier interest in Greenland, the Arctic territory controlled by Denmark.
“NATO wasn’t there when we needed them, and they won’t be there if we need them again,” Trump wrote.
He added, “Remember Greenland, that big, poorly run, piece of ice!!!.”
Trump considered withdrawing from NATO after allies refused to support the U.S. in its conflict with Iran.
He said, “I am strongly considering pulling out of NATO,” and added, “I was never swayed by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger, and Putin knows that too, by the way.”
Trump Slams NATO After Iran Ceasefire Talks
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Trump was “clearly disappointed” that U.S. allies refused to join its conflict with Iran, following a private meeting in Washington.
After the meeting, Rutte told CNN the discussion was “very frank, very open” between “two good friends,” but did not confirm whether Trump raised the possibility of leaving the alliance.
Earlier on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt quoted the president, saying that NATO was “tested and they failed” in the ongoing conflict with Iran.
Leavitt also acknowledged that Trump had discussed leaving NATO, adding, “I think it’s something the president will be discussing in a couple of hours with Secretary General Rutte.”
Trump had previously said withdrawing the U.S. from NATO was “beyond reconsideration,” calling the alliance a “paper tiger” and expressing disappointment in its response to recent military developments.
He said, “I have no frustration. I couldn’t care less. I didn’t need them.”
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Image via Shutterstock/ Joshua Sukoff
Recent Comments