Norway’s Prime Minister Dismisses Trump’s NATO Criticism

(MENAFN) Norway’s prime minister on Monday firmly dismissed President Donald Trump’s assertion that the United States has gained nothing from its participation in NATO, calling the statement inaccurate and misleading.

Speaking at a security forum in Oslo, Jonas Gahr Store criticized comments Trump made during a recent appearance in Davos, saying, “It rings completely false when the American President stands in Davos saying that we have given everything to NATO and NATO gives nothing in return. It is wrong. It's plain wrong,” as stated by reports.

Store emphasized that the alliance’s principle of shared defense should not be framed as generosity, describing collective security as “not a charity,” but something “made out of self-interest.” He underlined that NATO benefits all members, including Washington, by strengthening stability and deterrence.

He also pointed to recent US tariff threats against allied countries as an example of how power politics are evolving, noting that such pressure has been used to advance ambitions such as a possible takeover of Greenland, according to reports.

The Norwegian leader further argued that Europe must reinforce cooperation in security, defense, and trade, while also reassessing how the United States fits into Europe’s long-term security framework amid global shifts.

Highlighting future priorities, Store said Europe would focus on smarter defense spending while expanding strategic partnerships, particularly with key European nations and the United Kingdom. He added, “We will aim to spend wisely at defense, so it really fits into these regional plans. But then we will do more. We will deepen strategically our cooperation with the lead European partners, with the United Kingdom. Don't forget, friends, EU is critical for our security.

But EU member states represent 20% of NATO's military capacity. 80% is non-EU: US, Canada, Turkey, UK, Norway,” according to reports.

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