US President Donald Trump on Thursday said the US’s NATO allies have done “absolutely nothing” to help with the situation in Iran. In a Truth Social post, he said, “The USA needs nothing from NATO, but ‘never forget’ this very important point in time.”
While addressing the first Cabinet meeting since the war broke out, Trump on Thursday reiterated that the war is a test for NATO. He asserted that the NATO allies had little contribution while the US bore the burden of the combat.
‘I knew NATO is nothing but a paper tiger’
Calling NATO “nothing but a paper tiger”, Trump said, “One thing we’re very disappointed about, I’ll say it publicly, we’re very disappointed with NATO, because NATO’s done absolutely nothing. And I’ve always said 25 years ago, I mean, I was somebody that wasn’t a politician. But I was always involved in politics, and I understood politics. I said 25 years ago that NATO’s a paper tiger, but more importantly, that we’ll come to their rescue, but they will never come to ours. And I want you to remember that we said this. They didn’t come to our rescue.”
Trump says NATO made statements after the war begun
On US bases in NATO countries being hit by Iran, Trump said, “Now they all want to help when they’re annihilated, the other side is annihilated. They said, ‘we’d love to send ships.’ Trump suggested that strategic planning is required during or before the onset of a war. He said, “They actually made a statement, a couple of them, that we want to get involved when the war is over. No, it’s supposed to get involved with the war’s beginning or even before it begins.”
Iran hit a UK-military base in Cyprus earlier in March using drones.
‘We never really had much support’
On NATO countries not jumping into the war with their military, Trump said the US had never received support from NATO allies. He said, “We never really had very much support. You know, we spend trillions of dollars supporting countries, and this is little league. This was easy. We decimated them in a period of a week. In the first few days, it was over. I think their navy took us three days to essentially annihilate it. They weren’t there. And that’s not fair.”
‘US needs to remember we spent trillions protecting Europe’
Trump said the US has always been there for NATO allies when they needed help. Trump said that the US as a country needs to remember that they spent trillions of dollars protecting Europe, protecting the countries of NATO whereas NATO allies weren’t there for the US. He said, “What makes you think they’d be there if we needed them for something?”
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He maintained, “We’re there to protect Europe from Russia. In theory, it doesn’t affect us. We have an ocean, a big, fat, beautiful ocean. But we’re there to protect NATO, to protect them from Russia. But they’re not there to protect us. It doesn’t make sense.”
Mark Rubio says: ‘Ukraine not our war; we helped anyway’
Trump was backed by US Secretary of State, Mark Rubio. He said the US has constantly responded positively whenever asked to help in wars. “But when we had a need, it didn’t get positive responses from NATO. A couple leaders said that Iran was not in Europe’s war. Well, Ukraine isn’t our war, yet we’ve contributed more to that fight than anyone.”
SECRETARY RUBIO: The U.S. is constantly asked to help in wars and we have. But when we had a need, it didn’t get positive responses from NATO. A couple leaders said that Iran was not Europe’s war. Well, Ukraine isn’t our war, yet we’ve contributed more to that fight than anyone. pic.twitter.com/AEDMLBbLFQ
— Department of State (@StateDept) March 26, 2026
Germany’s foreign minister says NATO countries would seek a common position
Germany’s foreign minister said on Thursday that NATO countries would seek a common position with the United States on the war against Iran, which he added would have to end as quickly as possible, reported Reuters.
“Of course it is now important, together with our closest allies within NATO, particularly with the United States, to develop a common position,” minister Johann Wadephul said in Vaux-de-Cernay Abbey near Paris ahead of a meeting of G7 foreign ministers.
There was unity with France and Britain on this, and planned talks with US secretary of state Marco Rubio on Friday were particularly important, Wadephul added. He said the strait of Hormuz would have to be opened and the Iran’s leadership must not pose a threat to other nations in future.
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