Trump threatens not to help NATO countries if asked

WASHINGTON, Jun 23: US President Donald Trump said Monday that he could refuse to help NATO countries as pay back for the lack of support from member nations with the US military operation in Iran.
"We spent all of this money. And then when we want to maybe have help on small stuff... They say no we would rather not help," Trump said during a press conference in the Oval Office.
"Stupid thing to say, because we can say that to them if we want, and we might," he added.
Despite strained relations with the alliance, Trump is set to attend the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey next month.
Europe faces an "urgent challenge" to replace US weaponry, as Washington weighs scaling back its military presence on the continent, the EU's defence commissioner said Tuesday.
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth last week announced a six-month review of the US force posture in Europe after anger with NATO allies over their response to the Iran war.
EU defence commissioner AndriusKubilius said the move could see Washington shift key assets elsewhere in the world.
"We have to be prepared. This could not be at some distant time in the future. It could be soon," he told a defence conference in Brussels.
"We are now faced with an urgent challenge to replace American strategic enablers and heavy weaponry."�"AFP