WASHINGTON – According to U.S. Government officials, the White House is considering a plan to impose sanctions on certain NATO member states that President Trump believes did not support the U.S. and Israel during the war with Iran. Countries like Greece, however, could be rewarded for their more supportive stances.
At the critical Strait of Hormuz, by the end of April 8 it was reported two ships of Greek interests passed through after the ceasefire was declared.
The proposal regarding NATO would involve moving U.S. troops out of member countries deemed unsupportive of the war effort against Iran and stationing them in countries that showed greater support. The plan would be far from Trump’s recent threats of a full U.S. withdrawal from the Alliance, something that, under the law, he cannot do without Congress.
The plan, which has been circulated and has gained the support of senior government officials in recent weeks, is still in its early stages and is one of several the White House is discussing to ‘punish’ NATO.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte traveled to Washington on April 8 to meet with Trump. He has tried to deepen ties with Trump despite tensions in the alliance and was among those who persuaded him to back down regarding Greenland.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt
“It’s quite sad that NATO turned their backs on the American people over the last six weeks when it’s the American people who have been funding their defense,”
The evening of April 8, Trump wrote on Truth Social that ““NATO wasn’t there when we needed them, and they won’t be there if we need them again.”
The U.S. has roughly 84,000 troops stationed across Europe. U.S. bases in Europe serve as critical hubs for American global military operations while also providing economic benefits to host countries through investments. Bases in Eastern Europe also serve as a deterrent against Russia.
Among the alliance members that have clashed with Trump since his re-election and, more recently, angered him by opposing the war in Iran are
Spain and Germany. Italy temporarily blocked the use of a U.S. airbase in Sicily, while the French government agreed to allow U.S. use of a base in southern France only after guaranteeing that aircraft not involved in attacks on Iran would land there.
Among the countries that could benefit, as they are considered supportive, are Poland, Romania, Lithuania, and Greece, officials said. Eastern European countries have some of the highest defense spending levels within the Alliance and were among the first to indicate support for an international coalition to monitor the Strait of Hormuz. After the outbreak of the war, Romania immediately approved U.S. requests to use its bases for U.S. Air Force operations.
The plan could lead to the placement of more U.S. troops closer to Russian borders, an outcome likely to provoke a reaction from Moscow.
Trump stated on Monday that he was “very disappointed” with NATO and that its unwillingness to support the U.S. in the war with Iran is “a mark on NATO that will never disappear.”
Last month, he posted on Truth Social that member states did nothing to help in the war with Iran and added: “U.S.A. NEEDS NOTHING FROM NATO.”
Senior European officials counter that they were never consulted about the war in the first place, which complicated coordination of a military response during the early days of the conflict.
Ships of Greek Interests Pass Through Strait of Hormuz
It was reported on April 8 that two cargo ships of Greek interests were the first to cross the Strait of Hormuz after the announcement of a two-week ceasefire in the Iran war. There are unconfirmed reports that as of the afternoon of April 9 two more have gone through.
According to “Kpler, a data and market analysis company that owns MarineTraffic, the Daytona Beach, a Liberian-flagged bulk carrier, was the first vessel to cross the strait at 9:59 AM Greek time, having sailed from the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas. It was followed a few hours later, at 11:44 AM by the cargo ship NJ Earth, which flies the flag of Saint Kitts and Nevis” Kathimerini reported.