Ex-NATO envoy cautions Europe on criticizing Iran war

Former U.S. Ambassador to NATO Kurt Volker this week warned European members of the alliance that vocalizing their disagreements with President Donald Trump on the Iran war risked heightening existing tensions within the bloc and further alienating Washington from Europe.

Several NATO nations, notably Italy, France, the UK, Germany, and Spain, have been critical of the U.S. decision to strike Iran and have been unwilling to allow the U.S. to use their bases to mount strikes on the country. Most NATO members have refused Trump's call to commit warships to policing the Strait of Hormuz.

Speaking on Politico's EU Confidental podcast this week, Volker suggested that prominent rhetoric criticizing the war risked “fragmenting a transatlantic relationship that is still valuable to both of us. So I don't think that's a wise way to handle the president.”

“You might think that this is a huge folly and going to have terrible consequences, but you don't have to say it,” he added. “By saying it, you alienate Donald Trump and you run the risk that he will then link your unhappiness with his policies to his unhappiness for some of your policies."

Volker served as U.S. Ambassador to NATO from 2008 to 2009.

Throughout the war, Trump has repeatedly expressed his disappointment with NATO members and has even floated leaving the bloc outright, opining that the alliance does little to benefit the United States.

Ben Whedon is the Chief Political Correspondent at Just the News. Follow him on X.