Washington DC [US], April 22 : The White House has reportedly drawn up a "naughty and nice" list of NATO member countries as part of the Trump administration's push to evaluate and potentially penalise allies who did not support US positions during the Iran conflict, Politico reported, citing officials familiar with the matter.
According to Politico, citing three European diplomats and a US war official, the initiative, developed ahead of NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte's visit to Washington, categorises alliance members based on their defence contributions and broader cooperation, placing them into different tiers.
The move underscores US President Donald Trump's continued warnings that allies who fail to meet US expectations on defence burden-sharing or strategic support could face consequences, further straining already tense transatlantic relations.
US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth had earlier outlined a similar approach, stating, "Model allies that step up, like Israel, South Korea, Poland, increasingly Germany, the Baltics and others, will receive our special favour," he said. "Allies that still fail to do their part for collective defence will face consequences," as reported by Politico.
A diplomat familiar with the discussions said, "The White House has a naughty and nice paper, so I guess the thinking is similar," suggesting alignment with Hegseth's earlier remarks, as per Politico.
However, officials have not clarified what specific incentives or penalties may be applied, though options reportedly include adjustments in troop deployments, joint military exercises, and defence sales.
"They don't seem to have very concrete ideas...when it comes to punishing bad allies," said another European official, adding, "Moving troops is one option, but it mainly punishes the US, doesn't it?" as quoted by Politico.
White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly defended the administration's stance, saying, "While the United States has always been there for our so-called allies, countries we protect with thousands of troops have not been there for us throughout Operation Epic Fury," adding that "President Trump has made his thoughts on this unfair dynamic clear, and as he said, the United States will remember," as quoted by Politico.
The reported framework could benefit countries like Poland and Romania, which have supported US military operations and increased defence spending, while placing others, such as Spain, under scrutiny for resisting NATO spending targets.
The Pentagon also reiterated its approach, stating that it "will prioritise cooperation and engagements with model allies who are doing their part for our collective defence."
Former officials have questioned the administration's capacity to escalate tensions with Europe amid ongoing geopolitical challenges.
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