Trump on NATO for refusing to deploy troops: “A very foolish mistake”

U.S. President Donald Trump said on the 17th (local time) that North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) member states that rejected a request to deploy troops to the Strait of Hormuz were “making a very foolish mistake.”

Speaking at a bilateral meeting with the Irish prime minister at the White House, President Trump said, “All NATO allies agreed with us (the operation to strike Iran), but they don’t want to help us.”

He added that while it was “really surprising” that NATO refused the deployment request, “I didn’t press hard (for a deployment). If I had, they probably would have helped, but we didn’t need to.”

He continued, “I’ve long said I’m not sure NATO would step up for us,” adding, “So this was a great test.”

He also expressed disappointment, saying, “Another very important thing is that I don’t think we needed to step up for Ukraine.”

“I’m very disappointed in NATO,” Trump said, adding, “I’m disappointed in a couple of other countries as well.” The “couple of other countries” appear to be South Korea and Japan, as they are allies outside NATO that were explicitly asked to deploy troops.

As for his China visit scheduled for later this month and a U.S.-China summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping, President Trump said, “We’re rescheduling the meeting (with China), and it looks like it will be held in about five weeks.”

Han Kyung-woo, Hankyung.com reporter case@hankyung.com