Trump Declares Iran Ceasefire Over, Criticizes NATO and Threatens Spain Over Defence Spending

Trump Declares Iran Ceasefire Over, Criticizes NATO and Threatens Spain Over Defence Spending

President Donald Trump has declared that the ceasefire between the United States and Iran is effectively over, delivering the announcement during the NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey, where he also launched sharp criticism of the military alliance and several of its members.

Speaking alongside NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte, Trump described Iran’s leaders as “scum” and “sick people,” insisting he no longer wanted to engage with Tehran.

While he maintained that U.S. negotiators were still willing to hold talks, he said the ceasefire had effectively come to an end.

His remarks followed a fresh escalation in tensions after the United States reportedly carried out overnight strikes on more than 80 Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz and revoked a temporary sanctions waiver that had allowed Iran to export oil.

The move came in response to Iranian attacks on three commercial vessels earlier this week.

Trump also turned his attention to NATO, accusing many alliance members of failing to support the United States during its military campaign against Iran.

He expressed frustration that several European countries, except the United Kingdom, declined to allow U.S. bombing missions to be launched from their airbases.

The U.S. president further criticized Britain, claiming it initially refused to allow American forces to use RAF Fairford for operations against Iran before eventually approving limited strikes on Iranian missile sites.

Trump revived his long-standing call for the United States to acquire Greenland, describing the Arctic territory as strategically important for American security while suggesting Denmark did not value it in the same way.

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen responded by reaffirming that Greenland is not for sale and that Denmark would defend every part of its territory.

He also renewed complaints over NATO’s defence spending, arguing that the United States continues to shoulder an unfair share of the alliance’s financial burden.

Trump singled out Spain for rejecting NATO’s 3.5 percent defence spending target and warned that Washington could reconsider its trade relationship with Madrid.

Despite Trump’s remarks, NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte attempted to ease tensions, praising the U.S. president for pushing allies to increase defence spending and insisting that only a handful of countries had declined to support American military operations related to Iran.

The latest comments underscored growing strains within the alliance as leaders gathered in Ankara for a summit originally intended to showcase stronger defence cooperation and collective security commitments.