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Donald Trump claimed he had pushed allies to spend as much as 5 per cent of GDP on defence and to pay "immediately", portraying the shift as a personal achievement. Trump also asserted that without his involvement, Russia would have already taken control of all of Ukraine.
The US President again credited himself with forcing NATO countries to sharply raise defence expenditure. (Photo: AP)
New Delhi,UPDATED: Jan 8, 2026 00:43 IST
US President Donald Trump has once again lashed out at NATO, questioning the relevance of the transatlantic military alliance without American support. The US president also raised doubts about whether the alliance would come to Washington’s defence if the US were to face a major security threat.
In a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said rival powers Russia and China had "zero fear" of NATO unless the US was involved.
"Russia and China have zero fear of NATO without the United States, and I doubt NATO would be there for us if we really needed them," he wrote, adding that the US would nonetheless "always be there for NATO".
The US President again credited himself with forcing NATO countries to sharply raise defence expenditure, saying most allies were failing to meet commitments before his intervention.
"Remember, for all of those big NATO fans, they were at 2 per cent GDP, and most weren’t paying their bills, until I came along. The USA was, foolishly, paying for them," he said.
He claimed he had pushed allies to spend as much as 5 per cent of GDP on defence and to pay "immediately", portraying the shift as a personal achievement. Trump also asserted that without his involvement, Russia would have already taken control of all of Ukraine.
Trump’s remarks echo rhetoric he has repeated over the years, arguing that the US shoulders an unfair share of the alliance’s military costs while European members underinvest in defence.
TRUMP REPEATS NOBEL PRIZE CLAIM
Trump also repeated his complaint about being overlooked for the Nobel Peace Prize, using it to take another swipe at Norway, a NATO member state.
"I single-handedly ended eight wars, and Norway, a NATO member, foolishly chose not to give me the Nobel Peace Prize," he wrote, insisting his actions had saved "millions of lives".
Trump has, for the zillionth time, cited his belief that he deserved the award, particularly in comparison with former US Presidents who received the prize.
The latest attack on NATO comes amid renewed tensions over Trump’s stated desire to annex Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark. Trump has defended his stance, saying that acquiring Greenland is vital for US national security, and has refused to rule out the use of military force.
Any such move would lead to a never-before-seen scenario in which one NATO member invades another, a situation the alliance has never faced since its formation.
Danish officials have warned that a US seizure of Greenland would effectively signal the collapse of NATO and the post-second world war security order in Europe.
EUROPEAN ALLIES CLOSE RANKS
European leaders have begun discussing how to respond if the US were to escalate its stance on Greenland. On Wednesday, France said it was coordinating with allies on potential responses.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Nol Barrot said the issue would be raised in talks with his German and Polish counterparts.
Amid tensions, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Wednesday that he plans to meet with Danish officials next week.
Greenland's strategic location between Europe and North America makes it a critical site for the US ballistic missile defence system.
The island's remarkable mineral resources also align with Washington's ambition to reduce dependence on Chinese exports.
- Ends
With inputs from agencies
Published By:
Satyam Singh
Published On:
Jan 8, 2026
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