Trump to NATO allies: No need for your help in Iran operation

2026-03-18 - 05:39

President Donald Trump announced Thursday that the majority of NATO allies have informed Washington they do not wish to participate in the ongoing US military operation against what he termed "the terrorist Iranian regime" in the Middle East. The president's remarks came as the US-Israeli campaign against Iranian targets continues to intensify, with allies keeping their distance from the conflict. NATO Critique "I am not surprised by their action, because I have always viewed NATO as a one-way street where we spend hundreds of billions of dollars every year to protect these countries," Trump stated. "We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us, especially at a time of need." His comments reflect long-standing frustrations with burden-sharing within the transatlantic alliance that have characterized his approach to foreign policy. Military Success Claim Turning to the campaign itself, Trump asserted that American forces have achieved decisive results against Iranian military capabilities. "Fortunately, we have obliterated the Iranian army, their navies are destroyed, their air force is destroyed, their anti-aircraft systems and radars are destroyed, and perhaps most importantly, their leadership at nearly every level is destroyed," he said. The claims could not be independently verified, though Iranian officials have confirmed the deaths of senior leaders including former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. No Need for Allies Trump emphasized that the operation's success has rendered allied support unnecessary. "Thanks to this great military success we have achieved, we no longer need or want NATO countries' help. We never needed it anyway," he declared. The president extended his critique beyond Europe, stating: "The same applies to Japan, Australia, or South Korea." He concluded with a forceful assertion of American self-sufficiency: "I speak as President of the United States, by far the most powerful country in the world: We don't need anyone's help!"