WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump-led US administration is reportedly considering reducing its military presence in certain NATO countries that have not supported US and Israeli actions against Iran.
Reports aid Spain and Germany are among the nations under review.
Officials said the plan could involve closing select bases in Europe and relocating personnel to countries seen as more cooperative.
The move reflects frustration within the White House over what it perceives as limited support from some allies.
In Spain, concerns center on the refusal to raise defense spending to 5% of GDP and denying US bases for operations related to Iran. Germany has faced criticism from U.S. officials over its government’s stance on the offensive.
Meanwhile, President Trump has criticized NATO for not joining Washington’s campaign against Iran, and hinted at renewed threats concerning Greenland after meeting with the alliance’s secretary-general.
On his TruthSocial platform, he wrote in capital letters that NATO “wasn’t there when we needed them, and they won’t be there if we need them again.”
The comments followed a meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte at the White House, occurring shortly after a ceasefire agreement between the US and Iran.
White House spokesperson Karoline Leavitt said that some member states “turned their backs on the American people,” adding that Trump intended to have a “frank and candid conversation” with NATO leadership, emphasizing that the alliance “was tested and failed.”
