Trump weighs punishing certain NATO countries over lack of Iran War support

President Trump is considering a plan to punish NATO member countries he believes were unhelpful to the U.S. and Israel during the Iran war.

The proposal would remove U.S. troops from bases in nations deemed insufficiently supportive and reposition them in countries viewed as more cooperative.

This would mark the most significant restructuring of America’s military commitments to the alliance since its founding.

The idea has circulated and gained support among senior administration officials in recent weeks. It falls short of a full U.S. withdrawal from NATO, which requires congressional approval.

The United States currently stations around 84,000 troops across Europe.

Spain blocked U.S. aircraft from using its airspace during the conflict. Germany drew criticism after senior officials publicly condemned the war.

Italy briefly restricted use of a key air base in Sicily. France placed limits on operations at its southern bases.

Countries expected to gain troops under the plan include Poland, Romania, Lithuania and Greece. These nations maintain some of the highest defense spending in the alliance and offered early support for monitoring the Strait of Hormuz.

The proposal could also involve closing at least one U.S. base, possibly in Spain or Germany.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated it is “quite sad that NATO turned their backs on the American people” while America funded their defense.

The plan underscores the deepening rift between the Trump administration and European allies after the decision to launch the war with Iran.