Virendra Pandit
New Delhi: Underlining strained relations of the US with its NATO partners, President Doland Trump’s administration has reportedly prepared a ‘hit list’ of “naughty and nice” members of the security alliance, indicating that Washington may take action against those who are unsupportive of America’s efforts in its ongoing Iran war.
Implementation of such a list could result in punitive measures against certain alliance members, including the strategic relocation of US personnel or restriction of American defence technology sales, the media reported on Thursday.
Recently, Trump had remarked that NATO, which he mocked multiple times as a “paper tiger” without the US, had belatedly offered assistance in reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
Now, the Trump administration has reportedly prepared a list of “naughty and nice” members categorising NATO allies according to their contributions, a move viewed as an effort to reward or penalise nations based on their support for the US military engagement with Iran, according to the Politico magazine.
The list was prepared in anticipation of NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte’s diplomatic visit to Washington DC earlier this month.
A European diplomat informed Politico that the initiative appears to be an expansion of a concept introduced by US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth in December 2025.
During a previous defence forum, Hegseth noted that “model allies” would be granted “special favour” by Washington DC, whereas those deemed to be failing in collective defence obligations could face repercussions.
However, observers told Politico that actions against the allies may ultimately prove more detrimental to Washington than the intended targets.
“They don’t seem to have very concrete ideas when it comes to punishing bad allies. Moving troops is one option, but it mainly punishes the US, doesn’t it?” a European official remarked.
While the White House has yet to officially verify the list’s existence, nations such as Poland and Romania are expected to receive ‘positive’ assessments.
Poland has been recognised for its substantial defence expenditure, while Romania has permitted US forces to utilise its airbases for operations connected to the conflict with Iran.
In contrast, the majority of NATO members have declined to participate in the Gulf hostilities, which has drawn sharp criticism from the US President.
In a recent address, Trump remarked that the alliance had belatedly offered assistance in reopening the Strait of Hormuz.
“I told them I would have liked your help two months ago, but now I really don’t want your help anymore, because you were absolutely useless when we needed you,” Trump stated during an event in Arizona.
He asserted, “But actually, we never needed them. They needed us,” adding that the current climate underscores the necessity for the US to maintain self-reliance.
The President’s dissatisfaction has been a recurring theme throughout the conflict. Following a meeting with Rutte, Trump posted on social media: ‘Nato WASN’T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON’T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN.’
These latest frictions follow a history of disputes over European defence spending and previous diplomatic disagreements, including Trump’s interest in acquiring Greenland.