White House considers plan to penalize NATO allies unhelpful to war effort: Official
The Trump administration is weighing a plan to retaliate against NATO allies seen as unhelpful during the conflict with Iran by shifting U.S. troops away from these countries, an administration official tells ABC News.
The official adds that the troops would likely be repositioned in countries viewed by the administrative as having been more supportive of its war efforts. It’s unclear how advanced the plan is and which countries would be impacted if the decision is made to implement it.
When asked if President Donald Trump is considering punishment for NATO allies who did not heed his requests and whether this proposal was presented to Sec. Gen. Rutte during their meeting on Wednesday, a White House official pointed to earlier remarks from Secretary of State Marco Rubio. The secretary of state had questioned why the U.S. would continue to position troops in Europe if it was restricted from using jointly operated bases.
Overseas basing rights that allow the U.S. to station troops and equipment through Europe were a major topic of discussion during Rutte’s meetings in Washington, according to the administration official.
Trump and members of his administration have expressed grievances against a long list of NATO allies, but none more so than Spain. The Spanish government has condemned U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran as violations of international law and denied the U.S. permission to use joint bases at Rota and Morón for its operations.
-ABC News' Shannon K. Kingston and Isabella Murray
