Overview
- During a media‑open Oval Office meeting President Trump sharply criticized several NATO members for refusing requested support in the war against Iran, calling Spain a "disaster" and saying he was disappointed in the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Italy.
- NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte visited Washington to calm tensions and told Trump that European partners have provided logistics support, noting between 4,000 and 5,000 U.S. military flights operated from bases in Europe.
- Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has launched a six‑month review of U.S. troop deployments in Europe that could recommend reductions and would translate political disputes into concrete force‑posture choices.
- Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez had not issued a public reply at the time of reporting, and a Spanish minister posted an indirect comment on social media instead of a formal rebuttal.
- The exchange raises pressure on allied burden‑sharing and defense spending commitments, risks complicating diplomacy ahead of the July NATO summit in Ankara, and could prompt closer European efforts to bolster their own logistics and planning.