Trump criticizes NATO after meeting with Rutte; revives Greenland dispute
President Trump renewed his attacks on NATO after meeting with Secretary-General Mark Rutte, saying the alliance failed the United States during the Iran war and reviving the dispute over Greenland.
“NATO WASN’T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON’T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN,” Trump said in a social media post on Wednesday. “REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!”
The post came after Trump met with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the White House. It also came as the Trump administration is considering ways to punish NATO countries Trump believes were unhelpful to the U.S. and Israel during the war with Iran, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The proposal would move U.S. troops out of some NATO countries seen as unhelpful and send them to countries viewed as more supportive, the Journal reported. It said the plan could also include closing a U.S. base in at least one European country, possibly Spain or Germany.
The plan would not amount to a full U.S. withdrawal from NATO, which Trump has threatened before.
Trump had already said his complaints about NATO began with Greenland during a White House press conference on Monday, according to Politico.
“It all began with, if you want to know the truth, Greenland,” Trump said. “We want Greenland. They don’t want to give it to us. And I said, ‘bye, bye.’”
Politico said Trump also used that appearance to accuse NATO allies of failing to back Washington during the Iran war, when several countries refused access to bases or airspace and that European governments did not send warships to help secure the Strait of Hormuz.
Greenland became a major dispute earlier this year after Trump threatened to take control of the island before later backing down after an agreement, according to Politico. The episode alarmed Europe and led Denmark to prepare contingency plans in case the United States invaded the island.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
