The White House is reportedly weighing punitive measures against select NATO allies, targeting countries that President Donald Trump views as having failed to support the U.S. during the Iran war.
The plan involves moving troops from NATO countries deemed unhelpful to the Iran war effort to those that were more supportive. The proposal, still in its infancy, has been gaining momentum among senior administration officials in recent weeks, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday.
This proposal would not result in a complete U.S. withdrawal from the NATO alliance, a move that Trump has threatened but is legally unable to carry out without Congressional approval.
Instead, the plan could potentially lead to the closure of a U.S. base in a European country, possibly Spain or Germany. Countries that could benefit from the repositioning of troops include Poland, Romania, Lithuania, and Greece. These Eastern European nations, among the alliance’s highest defense spenders, were early backers of an international coalition to monitor the Strait of Hormuz.
This move could result in more U.S. troops being stationed closer to the Russian border, likely provoking Moscow.
White House did not immediately respond to Benzinga’s request for comments.
Trump’s NATO Frustration Grows
Trump’s dissatisfaction with NATO has been evident over the recent months. He has criticized the alliance for its perceived lack of support, even revisiting his earlier push to acquire Greenland as a sign of his skepticism about the U.S.’s reliance on traditional allies.
Currently, about 84,000 U.S. troops are stationed across Europe, serving as a crucial hub for global U.S. military operations. Spain refused to allow U.S. planes involved in the Iran operation to use its airspace, while Germany drew U.S. frustration after officials criticized the war despite hosting key military hubs.
Italy briefly blocked access to a Sicilian air base, and France restricted U.S. base use to aircraft not involved in Iran strikes. The UK offered to deploy aircraft carriers to the Middle East after initial hesitation, but Trump rejected the proposal, saying that the U.S. doesn’t need them “any longer.”
Rutte’s ‘Frank’ Talks With Trump
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Trump was “clearly disappointed” that U.S. allies did not support its conflict with Iran. Rutte described their Washington meeting on Wednesday as “frank and open” but did not confirm any discussion about the U.S. leaving NATO, while the White House said Trump felt the alliance had “failed” the test.
However, his threats to withdraw from NATO have been met with resistance, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) reminding him and Secretary of State Marco Rubio of a 2023 law that requires a two-thirds Senate vote for the U.S. to withdraw from NATO.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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