Donald Trump has fired off a scathing morning message to NATO as he eyes up revenge against allies who have not backed his war in Iran.
“None of these people, including our own, very disappointing, NATO, understood anything unless they have pressure placed upon them!!!” the president posted in an early morning Truth Social tirade Thursday.
It remains unclear exactly what sort of “pressure” the president intends to place on NATO partners, however it was reported that he is considering removing U.S. troops from member states that do not back his action in Iran.
The president may be referencing the pressure he placed on Iran to reach a ceasefire deal, which came after he threatened to destroy their “whole civilization.”
Trump is said to be looking into pulling U.S. troops out of allied territories as punishment for their failure to help with his war in Iran. More than 80,000 U.S. troops are stationed across Europe.
France, which has blocked Israeli aircraft from ferrying weapons through its airspace, is said to have drawn particular ire, along with Italy, which briefly denied the U.S. the use of an air base in Sicily.
Senior European officials have pushed back against Trump’s grievances, noting they were not looped in on the war until after the first bombs had fallen.
They are also unhappy with the president for resurrecting his threat to annex Greenland, a territory of fellow NATO member Denmark.
He wrote an all-caps message on Truth Social on Wednesday about the semi-autonomous Danish territory, the acquisition of which he has claimed is a necessity for U.S. national security.
“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!!!” he wrote.
Trump failed to persuade U.S. allies to step in with help protecting oil tankers in the Strait of Hormuz before Tuesday’s ceasefire began.
A U.K.-led coalition, comprising more than 40 countries, has agreed to help open and preserve traffic through the naval corridor once an end to the conflict is secured.
Trump’s ceasefire has proven fragile. Iran and Israel have continued to exchange fire over disagreement as to whether or not Trump’s deal applies to Israel’s war in Lebanon. Iran has also yet to deliver on its promise to open the strait.
It remains unclear whether the agreement brokered by Trump—one that has bought a short-term halt to American bombing—amounts to enough of a cessation for the coalition headed by Britain to follow through on its promise to step in the moment fighting stops.
The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment on this story.
