On August 14 (Washington time), US President Donald Trump said Washington still remembers that NATO allies did not support the US in the conflict with Iran, according to TASS news agency.
Speaking about relations between the US and its allies, Mr. Trump said that many countries often turn to Washington when they need support, but the US does not always respond to these offers.
When they need help, they call the US. I don't always help, because sometimes they don't treat us well," Mr. Trump said.
The US President then directly mentioned NATO, saying that this alliance did not support Washington when the US needed it.
NATO was not there for us," Trump said.
Mr. Trump reiterated that the US has invested in NATO for decades. According to the US President, Washington has spent a large sum of money on the alliance for a long time, but when the US asks its allies for support, they do not want to participate.
We have spent a lot of money on NATO for decades. When we say "help us", they don't want to do it. But we remember," Trump said.
Mr. Trump's latest statements continue to show disagreements between the US and some NATO allies regarding the conflict with Iran. Previously, Mr. Trump repeatedly criticized NATO member countries for not directly participating in the US and Israeli military campaign against Iran.
Mr. Trump has also repeatedly asked NATO members to increase defense spending and share more of the alliance's financial burden. The US President said that the country has contributed too much to NATO compared to other allies for many years.
Regarding the conflict with Iran, some NATO allies choose not to directly participate in US and Israeli attacks, while promoting diplomatic efforts to reduce tensions. Some European countries also allow the US to use military facilities or logistics infrastructure to serve operations in the region.
Currently, NATO has not made any new comments on Mr. Trump's statement.
