Trump Threatens to Withdraw US Troops from Italy and Spain Over NATO Criticism of Iran War

President Trump threatened to withdraw US troops from Italy and Spain, escalating tensions with European NATO allies who have criticized US military actions in Iran. When asked during a press interview if he would consider pulling troops from these countries, Trump responded "yeah, I probably will," calling Italy unhelpful and Spain "absolutely horrible." This followed similar threats against Germany the previous day. The threats came after European allies declined to send naval forces to secure the Strait of Hormuz during the ongoing Iran conflict. The move represents a significant escalation in Trump's willingness to weaponize US military deployments as leverage against NATO allies who disagree with his foreign policy decisions.

"Yeah, I probably will. Why shouldn't I? Italy has not been of any help to us and Spain has been horrible. Absolutely horrible." — Response to reporter's question about whether he would withdraw US troops from Italy and Spain during a press interview on May 1, 2026