Washington, March 26 (IANS) The United States has signalled a dual shift in its global posture, criticising NATO allies for inaction in the Iran conflict while indicating that military resources could be diverted from Ukraine to the Middle East.
US President Donald Trump on Thursday expressed frustration with NATO, accusing the alliance of failing to support Washington’s ongoing military operations against Iran.
“We’re very disappointed with NATO because NATO has done absolutely nothing,” Trump said during a Cabinet meeting, describing the alliance as a “paper tiger.”
He said some allies had offered assistance only after the conflict had progressed.
“They said we’d love to send ships… when the war is over. No, it’s supposed to get involved when the war’s beginning,” he said.
Trump warned that the US would take note of the lack of support.
“They didn’t come to our rescue… we can never forget,” he added.
At the same time, the President indicated that US military resources could be reallocated away from Ukraine as Washington intensifies operations in the Middle East.
“We do that all the time… we take from one, and we use for another,” Trump said when asked about reports of diverting munitions and air defence systems.
He said the US maintains extensive stockpiles worldwide, allowing it to shift resources flexibly.
“We have tremendous amounts of ammunition… we’re packed,” he said.
While reaffirming support for Ukraine, Trump suggested a change in approach, noting that Washington now sells equipment to NATO rather than directly supplying Kyiv.
“We sell it now to NATO… we get paid for everything that we give — we don’t give anything anymore,” he said.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the Iran campaign was aimed at addressing a broader global threat.
“This is for the world,” Rubio said, warning that Iran posed an “unacceptable risk” if allowed to acquire nuclear weapons.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the US operation had achieved rapid results on the battlefield.
“Never in recorded history has a nation’s military been so quickly and effectively neutralised,” he said.
Trump described the Ukraine war as a difficult but distant conflict, emphasising that it has a limited direct impact on the United States.
“It doesn’t have any impact on us, virtually nothing,” he said, while noting heavy casualties in recent months.
The remarks point to a broader recalibration of US strategic priorities, with Washington focusing more sharply on the Middle East while reassessing alliance dynamics in Europe.
