Trump Claims The U.S. Will ‘Remember’ Lack Of NATO Support For Iran War

Continuing his critical rhetoric towards NATO for a perceived lack of support in the war on Iran, President Donald Trump said Thursday that the U.S. would “remember” that many alliance members declined to help Washington during the conflict with Iran, and raised doubts that the U.S. would be there for NATO allies in the future.

Speaking at a White House Cabinet meeting, Trump said, “Nobody’s a match for the United States, but [Iran is] not a match for the United States. They’re small potatoes. That’s why I’m so disappointed in NATO, because this was a test for NATO. You can help us, you don’t have to, but if you don’t do that, we’re gonna remember. Remember this in a number of months from now. Remember my statements.”

Trump’s latest broadside built on complaints he has made for days about allied reluctance to support U.S. efforts tied to the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow waterway that handles about one-fifth of the world’s oil shipments. On March 17, Trump said most NATO allies had told Washington they did not want to get involved in the U.S. military operation in Iran, calling that stance “a very foolish mistake.”

The frustration stems in large part from a failed U.S. push to assemble outside military help in reopening and securing the Strait of Hormuz after Iran used drones, missiles, and mines to disrupt shipping there. Trump said earlier this month that his administration was talking to seven countries about joining such an effort and argued that nations dependent on Gulf energy should help protect the route. He specifically said countries benefiting from the region’s energy supply had a responsibility to defend it.

But key U.S. partners largely balked. Reuters reported on March 16 that Germany, Spain, and Italy ruled out joining any Gulf mission for the time being, while Britain and Denmark said they would consider possible support but stressed de-escalation and avoiding being drawn deeper into the war.

German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius dismissed the idea that a small number of European frigates could meaningfully do what the U.S. Navy could not, while Berlin also said the conflict “has nothing to do with NATO.” Pistorius also called the Iran War a “catastrophe for the world’s economies” on Thursday.

That rejection has turned into one of the clearest flashpoints yet in Trump’s long, uneasy relationship with the alliance. On March 20, Trump went so far as to call NATO allies “cowards” for staying out of the Iran fight, arguing that they complained about energy prices but were unwilling to contribute militarily.

Even after that outburst, several countries, including Germany, Britain, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Japan and Canada, signaled support for freedom of navigation, but conditioned any role on a halt in hostilities rather than participation during active combat.

Thursday’s comments were especially striking because they coincided with fresh data showing European allies and Canada have sharply increased military spending, one of Trump’s longest-standing demands. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said in the alliance’s 2025 annual report that European allies and Canada raised defense spending by 20% compared with 2024.

NATO also said that, for the first time, all allies met or exceeded the alliance’s long-standing target of spending 2% of gross domestic product on defense. Reuters, citing NATO’s figures, said total defense expenditure by the alliance’s 32 members reached 2.77% of GDP in 2025, with the United States accounting for about 60% of the total.