‘I Was Disappointed’: Trump Tells NATO Chief He Was ‘Let Down’ By Allies Over Iran War Support

Last Updated:June 25, 2026, 03:17 IST

Donald Trump criticises NATO allies for lack of support on Iran and calls for loyalty, while Mark Rutte defends European contributions.

United States President Donald Trump on Wednesday told NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte that he felt “let down" by members of the transatlantic alliance who did not support US actions against Iran.

“We were let down. We didn’t need help on this at all. We demolished (Iran) literally in the first week, but it would have been nice if they had said, ‘We’d like to help,’" Trump said during a meeting with Rutte in the Oval Office of the White House.

When asked about European support for US operations against Iran, Trump said, “They weren’t."

‘Spain Is A Horror Show’

Sharply criticising several NATO allies during the meeting, the US President said, “Spain is a horror show. Spain is terrible. I was disappointed with Italy. I was disappointed with the UK. We were disappointed with Germany and France. We’re disappointed with most of them. They don’t want to pay anything. They think they’re in for a free ride."

Trump Says He Wants ‘Loyalty’ From NATO Allies

Responding to a reporter on what he wants from allies, Trump said, “I just want the loyalty. We don’t need their money, we don’t need anything. We have the most powerful military in the world by far."

Also Read: ‘Shameful’: Hegseth Blasts NATO Allies, Orders Review Of US Forces In Europe

“But I just want loyalty. You know, we’re so loyal to them. We’re always fighting for them! We have thousands of troops all over Europe. In Germany, we have 50,000 troops, and then you want a little, give us a little nudge, give us a little kiss. We don’t want much! And they say, no, we can’t do it. The troops that we have in Germany, the troops that we have in the UK, the troops that we have all over Europe," he added.

‘EU Allies Were With US’

Meanwhile, Rutte defended allied contributions and said they were with Trump.

“First of all, about the nuclear capability Iran was getting its hands on…it would have been a threat to the region and the whole world. They were very close to getting their hands on the nuclear capability. You have seen all the leaders in the G7 applauding the fact that this nuclear capability has been degraded… 4,000 to 5,000 US planes taking off from bases in Europe in the six weeks this war took place… Bucharest, the airport in Romania, had to close for commercial traffic because they had to make sure that you were able to send a tank aircraft up in the air. There have been isolated cases about which you are really disappointed, but generally speaking, your European allies have been there with you," Rutte said.

He also praised Trump’s actions on Iran, arguing that the country’s nuclear capabilities posed a threat far beyond the Middle East.

Also Read: Is NATO Dying? What Happens To Europe If Trump Pulls Out Of NATO, And Should India Care?

“This is the leader of the free world taking responsibility beyond the shores of the United States for the rest of the world," he said.

‘Trump Trillion’

Rutte also unveiled what he called the “Trump trillion", crediting President Trump with helping push European allies to boost defence spending.

Rutte said Europe and Canada have added roughly $1.2 trillion in defence spending since Trump first entered office, while also placing hundreds of billions of dollars in orders with US defence companies.

“This is your evidence," Rutte said, pointing to the figures as he argued the alliance is moving closer to sharing the defence burden with the United States.

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Prisha Vibhavari

Prisha is the Chief Sub-Editor at News18.com, with more than 10 years of experience in national and international news. She specialises in editorial leadership, sharp news judgment, and high-impact st...Read More

News world ‘I Was Disappointed’: Trump Tells NATO Chief He Was ‘Let Down’ By Allies Over Iran War Support

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