Trump says allies 'turned us down' on Iran, ties 'won't be the same'

President Donald Trump on Wednesday clarified that the U.S.'s relationship with many of its allies would not be the same. In an interview with Fox Business's Maria Bartiromo, President Trump expressed clear disappointment with NATO leaders for not cooperating in the Iran war, singling out Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. "She's been negative," Trump said, before adding that the U.S. does not have the same relationship with "anybody that turned us down for helping with this Iran situation."  

Ties between Washington and Rome worsened after Meloni decided to suspend a long-standing military pact with Israel. When Bartiromo asked if his relationship with Meloni was still good, Trump said "no". "Just so you know, Italy gets a lot of oil from the Strait," Trump said, adding, "You can call it the Strait of Hormuz or the Hormuz Strait. I said which is better. They said either is okay. But can call it either one. The only thing you can't call it is the Trump Strait. They don't like that idea." 

U.S. should not be 'paying trillions of dollars to NATO'

When asked about the U.S.'s European allies drafting a plan to open up the Strait of Hormuz without the U.S., Trump said it's "sad" before reiterating his plans for Greenland. "We're doing it now, by the way. It's opening. Ships are coming back and forth," Trump said. Addressing Bartiromo's question on the coalition of European countries meeting to discuss a plan to reopen the Strait, Trump said, "How can you have a group of countries with that attitude? Look at Greenland. We should have Greenland to protect the world against Russia and China...this country should not be paying trillions of dollars to NATO."

Over the last few weeks of the Iran war, the U.S. has found itself largely isolated diplomatically, with NATO allies refusing to support the U.S.A.'s blockade. Among them, Spain has been particularly vocal in its opposition to the conflict. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez had said that Spain "will not applaud those who set the world on fire just because they show up with a bucket." Meanwhile, the U.K. and France are organizing "a conference with those countries prepared to contribute alongside us to a peaceful multinational mission aimed at restoring freedom of navigation in the strait," as per French President Emmanuel Macron's statement. 

'Not our war': British PM responds to Trump's trade deal threat

With some of his administration's requests facing defiance from allies, President Trump, in a telephonic interview with Sky News, lashed out at British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, indicating he may pull out of a 2025 trade deal benefiting British aerospace goods. "We gave them a good trade deal. Better than I had to... which can always be changed. But we gave them a trade deal that was very good because they're having a lot of problems," Trump said after criticizing Starmer's immigration policies. I think that I like Starmer, but I think he's made a tragic mistake in closing the North Sea oil...And I think he's made a tragic mistake on immigration," Trump said.

However, the possibility of economic retaliation has not changed the position at 10 Downing Street. Speaking to the House of Commons on Wednesday, Starmer stayed firm, even though he said there was "a lot of pressure" from Washington. "I'm not going to change my mind, I'm not going to yield," Starmer said. "It is not in our national interest to join this war, and we will not do so. I know where I stand."