US President Donald Trump criticized NATO allies, saying that this alliance is a "paper tiger" for not supporting the US in the war in Iran.
The statement was made on April 6 (US time), before NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte's visit to Washington. Mr. Trump said that the US had offered support from NATO members but did not receive a positive response. According to him, countries in the alliance even "deliberately refused to help".
The US leader emphasized that NATO is not deterrent enough. This is considered the latest statement in a series of disagreements between Mr. Trump and NATO.
During the week, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte is scheduled to meet with US President Donald Trump, Foreign Minister Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth in Washington to discuss related issues.
Besides criticizing NATO, Mr. Trump continued to reiterate his desire to annex Greenland, a territory controlled by Denmark and an ally in the alliance. He said disagreements over Greenland are one of the reasons why relations with NATO have become strained.
Mr. Trump also expressed dissatisfaction with some non-NATO partners such as South Korea, Japan and Australia for not supporting the US in the conflict with Iran. On the contrary, he appreciated the support from Gulf countries such as Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
These statements show the division in relations between the US and its allies, and also reflect the pressure Washington is facing in seeking international support for the military campaign in Iran.
