NATO Rift Deepens as Trump Considers Pulling Troops from Key European Allies

US President Donald Trump is mulling punishing some member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), The Wall Street Journal reported. His administration is considering punitive measures as he believes they were unhelpful to Washington during the Iran war. “NATO WASN’T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON’T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN. REMEMBER GREENLAND, THAT BIG, POORLY RUN, PIECE OF ICE!!!,” Trump posted on Wednesday.

The tussle between the White House and its European allies sparked when Trump announced his intention to annex Greenland, which was strongly opposed by NATO members. The White House is now considering retaliatory measures against states that declined to support the US or actively obstructed the US military campaign against Iran, the report said.

As per the WSJ, a proposal is being circulated among senior administration officials which involves withdrawing American troops from certain NATO countries and repositioning them in countries that are more ‘cooperative.’ NATO is a collective military alliance, with the US as one of the founding members, aimed at guaranteeing the collective security of European and North American countries.

According to the report, Trump could withdraw US troops from NATO countries considered unhelpful during the Iran conflict, an action that would require approval at the legislative and congressional level. The US currently has nearly 84,000 troops deployed across Europe.

Which Are the Countries Under US Scrutiny?

Several major European countries including Spain, Germany, France, and Italy are in the crosshairs of the US. Spain blocked US military aircraft involved in the Iran operation from transiting through its airspace.

Germany drew attention from senior US officials after it openly criticised the US for starting the war and destabilising the West Asian region. Italy, too, denied US forces access to its air base in Sicily. France, on the other hand, allowed the use of its base only after securing assurances that aircraft participating in strikes on Iran would not land there.

As per the report, the US plan, which is still in its nascent phase, could include not only redeployment but also the outright closure of at least one US base in Europe, with Spain and Germany possibly being the candidates.

Which Countries Are Likely to Gain?

A few countries are said to gain from the redeployment. The report mentioned eastern and central European countries including Poland, Romania, Lithuania, and Greece are likely to benefit from additional US military presence. These countries were among the first to signal their support to the US and their willingness to participate in an international coalition to monitor the Strait of Hormuz, the report said. These nations are also among the states with some of the highest defence spending within NATO.