'NATO is a paper tiger': Trump slams allies for not supporting US in war against Iran
Calling the alliance a "paper tiger," he wrote in a post on Truth Social that these countries did not want to join the fight to stop a "Nuclear Powered Iran."
- Mar 20, 2026,
- Updated Mar 20, 2026 8:37 PM IST
US President Donald Trump on Friday went on a tirade against NATO countries for their reluctance to support the US in its ongoing war against Iran. Calling the alliance a "paper tiger," he wrote in a post on Truth Social that these countries did not want to join the fight to stop a "Nuclear Powered Iran."
Towards the end of his post, Trump made another vitriolic jibe at NATO. He wrote, "So easy for them to do, with so little risk. COWARDS, and we will REMEMBER!"
Read Trump's full post here
His post comes after French President Emmanuel Macron said in a social media post that "the war involving Iran will not deflect France from its support for Ukraine, where Russia's war of aggression continues unabated."
Macron further said, "These vessels, which evade international sanctions and violate the law of the sea, are profiteers of war. They line their pockets while helping finance Russia’s war effort. We will not allow it."
Moreover, Germany, Britain, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands and Canada pledged in a joint statement on Thursday to join "appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait." German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, however, hinted that these efforts would depend on an end to active combat that has disrupted movement at the strategically vital waterway.
This, however, is not the first time that Trump has targeted NATO over their non-participation in the ongoing US military operation against Iran. On Tuesday, Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform that Washington was told that NATO nations did not want to get involved in the campaign against Iran's "terrorist regime."
"The United States has been informed by most of our NATO ‘Allies’ that they don’t want to get involved with our Military Operation against the Terrorist Regime of Iran in the Middle East," he wrote.
Furthermore, he said that the position came despite a broad agreement among Western governments on Iran's nuclear programme.
"I am not surprised by their action, however, because I always considered NATO, where we spend Hundreds of Billions of Dollars per year protecting these same Countries, to be a one-way street - We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us, in particular, in a time of need."
Trump demanded that countries like China, France, Japan, South Korea, Britain and others to send their naval forces to help police the Strait of Hormuz. “I’m demanding that these countries come in and protect their own territory because it is their territory. It's the place from which they get their energy,” he had said.
US President Donald Trump on Friday went on a tirade against NATO countries for their reluctance to support the US in its ongoing war against Iran. Calling the alliance a "paper tiger," he wrote in a post on Truth Social that these countries did not want to join the fight to stop a "Nuclear Powered Iran."
Towards the end of his post, Trump made another vitriolic jibe at NATO. He wrote, "So easy for them to do, with so little risk. COWARDS, and we will REMEMBER!"
Read Trump's full post here
His post comes after French President Emmanuel Macron said in a social media post that "the war involving Iran will not deflect France from its support for Ukraine, where Russia's war of aggression continues unabated."
Macron further said, "These vessels, which evade international sanctions and violate the law of the sea, are profiteers of war. They line their pockets while helping finance Russia’s war effort. We will not allow it."
Moreover, Germany, Britain, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands and Canada pledged in a joint statement on Thursday to join "appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait." German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, however, hinted that these efforts would depend on an end to active combat that has disrupted movement at the strategically vital waterway.
This, however, is not the first time that Trump has targeted NATO over their non-participation in the ongoing US military operation against Iran. On Tuesday, Trump said in a post on his Truth Social platform that Washington was told that NATO nations did not want to get involved in the campaign against Iran's "terrorist regime."
"The United States has been informed by most of our NATO ‘Allies’ that they don’t want to get involved with our Military Operation against the Terrorist Regime of Iran in the Middle East," he wrote.
Furthermore, he said that the position came despite a broad agreement among Western governments on Iran's nuclear programme.
"I am not surprised by their action, however, because I always considered NATO, where we spend Hundreds of Billions of Dollars per year protecting these same Countries, to be a one-way street - We will protect them, but they will do nothing for us, in particular, in a time of need."
Trump demanded that countries like China, France, Japan, South Korea, Britain and others to send their naval forces to help police the Strait of Hormuz. “I’m demanding that these countries come in and protect their own territory because it is their territory. It's the place from which they get their energy,” he had said.