President Donald Trump voiced displeasure with Italy and Spain Friday as the rift between the NATO allies grows amid the stalled US-Israeli war on Iran.
"I'm not happy with Italy, and I'm not happy with Spain. They feel it's okay for Iran to have a nuclear weapon. Anybody that feels it's okay for Iran to have a nuclear weapon is not very smart, and it'll be a terrible thing in the future if they're ever allowed to have a nuclear weapon," the US president said as he departed the White House.
The comments come one day after Trump said he "probably will" pull US forces out of Italy and Spain. Trump maintained that when the US "needed them, they were not there," alluding to his war on Iran, adding: "We have to remember that."
"I probably will. Why shouldn't I? You know, look, why shouldn't I? Italy has not been of any help to us, and Spain has been horrible, absolutely horrible," the US president told reporters in the Oval Office.
"It's NATO. It's not even the fact that they're bad. It's one thing if they said nicely, or if they said: 'Okay, we'll help, but the help is a little slow.' But the level, and we help them with Ukraine. You know, they made a mess out of Ukraine, a total mess, and we helped them with Ukraine," he added.
Trump said Wednesday that his administration is "studying and reviewing the possible reduction of troops in Germany, with a determination to be made over the next short period." He did not provide further details.
His remarks came after German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized the US on Monday for lacking an "exit strategy" in the Iran war, saying Washington is being "humiliated" by Iran during ongoing talks.
The remarks drew a sharp rebuke from Trump, who said on Tuesday that Merz "doesn't know what he's talking about" and accused him of believing that it is "okay for Iran to have a nuclear weapon."
"I am doing something with Iran right now that other nations or presidents should have done long ago," Trump said. "No wonder Germany is doing so poorly, both economically and otherwise."
