US President Donald Trump said he was “very disappointed” in NATO, criticizing the alliance for what he described as a lack of support for Washington.
In an interview with Fox News, Trump expressed frustration that NATO allies were not present alongside the United States.
"As far as NATO, I am very, very disappointed in NATO because they weren't there [with us]," he said.
Trump argued that the United States has long carried the financial burden of the alliance, particularly in ensuring Europe’s security against Russia.
"You know, we spend trillions of dollars on NATO, trillion in order to protect Europe from Russia, and we've always been there, and we would always be there, and they can't do it without us," he said, adding that the Alliance did not help Washington in its operation against Iran.
At the same time, Trump emphasized that US forces did not require assistance in that operation, suggesting his request for support was largely to test allied commitment.
"We didn't need any help [with Iran], we did it without any help <…> I really sort of asked them just out of curiosity, because I'd like to see if they would be there," he added.
By Tamilla Hasanova
