Trump: “For me the agreement with Iran is over, they are sick people"

Spain is a NATO’s “terrible ally”.Italy “did very badly” in using American bases during the crisis with Iran and the NATO has failed the United States both on the Iranian and Greenland dossiers. That’s not all: the truce with Iran is to be considered overalthough talks could continue. It is a very harsh Donald Trump who, before taking part in the NATO summit, launched a new attack on the European allies, even going so far as to question trade relations with Madrid.

“We no longer want to do business with Spain“, declared the American president, in his meeting with the secretary general of NATO, Mark Rutte, defining the country “a terrible partner in NATO”. “It does not participate, it does not pay. I don’t want to have anything to do with Spain anymore. Stop all trade with Spain, including visits,” he said, arguing that Madrid “will come running to us again” when it realizes the economic consequences.

The accusations against Italy and other European partners

Trump then extended the criticism to other allies, accusing several European countries of failing to support the United States during the crisis with Iran. “I spoke to Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Italy. I didn’t speak to Spain,” he said. He later added that “the UK didn’t let us use the island for two weeks” and that “Italy has been terrible when it comes to their bases”, along with “some other” allies.

The American president said he was “very unhappy with NATO”, accusing the Alliance of not having stood by Washington when the United States asked for support against what he called “the main state sponsor of terrorism”. “When we asked to join us they all said no,” he argued, complaining that the United States has spent “over a trillion dollars” protecting allies without receiving the same treatment. “We protect them, but they are not there for us,” he said.

The Greenland issue and the breaking of the truce with Iran

Among the reasons for friction, Trump also cited the Greenland, calling it “a big problem” for the United States. He reiterated that the island is strategically crucial to American and world security, arguing that it is “not important to Denmark” and recalling that, during the Second World War, Washington took control of it before returning it to Copenhagen. “We shouldn’t have given it back to him,” he said.

The head of the White House also hinted that the ceasefire and negotiations with Iran are now destined to fail. Asked whether the truce and memorandum of understanding were now dead, he replied: “As far as I’m concerned it’s over.” While leaving open the possibility that American envoys will continue talks, Trump explained that he no longer wants to waste time with Tehran, calling Iranian leaders “liars”, “scum” and “sick people”. “They make a deal and then come out and say we never talked about it. As far as I’m concerned it’s over,” he insisted.

Praise for Erdogan and Xi Jinping

The American president instead reserved words of appreciation for the Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoganarguing that Ankara could have entered the regional conflict but did not. “I like Erdoğan. He rolled out the red carpet. It was extraordinary,” he said, adding that Turkey “is a military power” and that he might have taken the other side if not for his personal intervention.

Finally, Trump also praised Chinese President Xi Jinping, claiming that he had personally asked him not to intervene in the war. “China has treated us well,” he said. “I told President Xi that I hoped he would not enter the conflict. He gets over 50% of his oil from the Strait of Hormuz and he has not entered the war. He has not supplied equipment to Iran. He has been exceptional. I am a great admirer of President Xi,” he concluded.