Trump: NATO "failed us" and war with Iran will end very soon
US President Donald Trump has stated that the war with Iran "will end very soon", stressing that the US will "emerge victorious".
In an interview with Fox News, the US president said that his country "cannot allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon," considering that what Washington is doing now "should have been done for the last 47 years."
"If the Iranians want to talk, they can call us, and we can have talks by phone," he added, referring to a conditional willingness to engage in a negotiation track, considering that the US administration "has all the papers" while "Iran has no papers."
Trump stressed that the primary goal is to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon, saying, "If that doesn't happen, there's no reason to negotiate."
In the context of the military threat, Trump said, "If we had to continue military operations in Iran, we would have eliminated them completely and very quickly," while at the same time expressing his hope that "we will not have to deal militarily with the remnants of the Iranian regime," stressing that the United States will "take the Iranian nuclear dust" and that this is part of any possible negotiations.
He spoke of the "effectiveness" of economic and military pressures, noting that "Iran's ability to manufacture drones has been damaged by 80 to 82 percent," and that the blockade imposed on it "has proven to be astonishingly effective," adding that Tehran is "unable to obtain any additional funds," and considered that the greatest pressure on Iran "lies in the American military power," in addition to the naval blockade imposed on it.
Trump attacks NATO: We failed ... A disappointing alliance
Trump has stated that NATO does not serve US interests, and called the alliance "disappointing" for its refusal to support Washington at crucial moments.
"We have failed NATO. We have served its interests for years, we have spent trillions of dollars, and when we need a little help, we don't find it, so we have to remember that," he said.
The comments are the latest sharp criticism of NATO, as he has previously expressed doubts about NATO's ability to provide real assistance to the United States, accusing the organization of "misconduct" and ineffectiveness in the event of a global threat.
Trump claimed that he is seriously considering withdrawing from the alliance after refusing to participate in the US military operation against Iran, and this comes at a time when the United States is fighting a war alongside Israel against Iran, with the imposition of a naval blockade on Iranian ports and an unprecedented military escalation in the region.
The relationship between Trump and NATO has been strained since his first term, with European allies accused of failing to live up to their pledges to spend at least 2% of their GDP on defense, and he has repeatedly threatened to pull the United States out of the alliance if European performance does not improve.
On the other hand, several European countries have expressed concern about the United States' reluctance to abide by the principle of collective defense under Article 5 of the NATO treaty, especially in light of the war in Ukraine and the escalation in the Middle East.
The rhetorical escalation comes at a time when recent weeks have seen divisions within the alliance over participation in U.S.-led military operations, with Germany and France expressing reservations about direct involvement in the war alongside Washington, while Britain has been limited in protecting navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.
NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte announced in March that the alliance would not be a party to a U.S. war on Iran, adding to frustration with the Trump administration.
Trump confirms continued contacts with Putin
US President Donald Trump announced that he is continuing to communicate with Russian President Vladimir Putin, but refused to reveal the date of their last contact.
"I don't want to reveal that, but I'm already in negotiations with him (Putin)," Trump said in the interview published on Monday in response to a question about the last time he spoke with the Russian president.
"We are working on the situation between Russia and Ukraine, and I hope we can resolve it," Trump said in the interview published on Monday, noting that Washington is continuing its efforts to achieve a peaceful settlement in Ukraine, after a series of high-level meetings and talks led by the White House over the past weeks.
Trump met with President Putin at a summit held in Anchorage, Alaska, on August 15, 2025, where he described the meeting as "very productive" and noted that there was "progress" in the negotiations. The White House also hosted Volodymyr Zelensky alongside European leaders on August 18, 2025.
Trump's continued mediation between the two sides comes at a time when reports suggest Zelensky is "very angry" with the U.S. administration over its support for Russian terms.
Trump expressed annoyance that Zelensky was unwilling to make a deal to end the conflict, saying, "They told Zelensky to make a deal, because Putin is ready for a deal. It's very difficult to reach an agreement with Zelensky."
For his part, the Kremlin has repeatedly declared Russia's readiness for a peaceful settlement in Ukraine, and Kremlin representative Dmitry Peskov stressed that the dynamic on the front is "positive for us," indicating that the offensive operations of the Russian armed forces are aimed at imposing a peaceful solution.