 "Trump draws up ‘naughty’ list: Which Nato allies are in it?")
US President Donald Trump has a ‘naughty and nice’ list.
Unlike Santa Claus, Trump does not have the names of little boys and girls. Rather, the list comprises US allies in the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato).
Trump is said to have compiled the list ahead of Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte’s visit to Washington. The development comes as the US is reportedly eyeing punishing its allies who refuse to support it over the Iran war.
But what do we know? Who is on it?
Let’s take a closer look
What we know about the list
Politico reported that the idea originated with a suggestion from Pete Hegseth. The US Defence Secretary is said to have proposed the idea at a defence forum in September. Hegseth at the forum said that ‘model allies’ would get “special favour” from the US, while those disappointing would suffer consequences.
“Model allies that step up, like Israel, South Korea, Poland, increasingly Germany, the Baltics and others, will receive our special favour,” he said. “Allies that still fail to do their part for collective defence will face consequences.”
European and defence officials in the know said the list summarises members’ contributions to the alliance. It also separates them into tiers depending on the size of their contributions.
“The White House has a naughty and nice paper, so I guess the thinking is similar,” a person told the outlet. However, the White House is keeping mum about how it could potentially help and hurt allies.
Who is on the list?
The White House is keeping the names close to its vest. However, as per India Today, Poland and Romania could be on the ‘nice’ list. Poland has made significant contributions to Nato, while Romania has allowed US forces to use its airbases for operations related to the Iran war.
However, countries such as Britain and France, who have refused to join the US blockade, could be on the ’naughty’ side of the list. They said they would not be drawn into the conflict by taking part in the blockade and that they are working on an initiative to open the strait, through which a fifth of global oil supplies normally passes.
“We’re not supporting the blockade,” British Prime Minister Keir Starmer told the BBC. “My decision has been very clearly that whatever the pressure, and there’s been some considerable pressure, we’re not getting dragged into the war,” he said.
Their stance has angered Trump and other top White House officials.“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 said during an event in Arizona. “But actually, we never needed them. They needed us,” he added.
Trump has threatened to withdraw from the military alliance and is weighing pulling some US troops from Europe after several countries denied US military planes the use of their airspace for attacks on Iran.
Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte told European governments that Trump wants concrete commitments in the near future to help secure the Strait of Hormuz. Rutte told CNN that he understood Trump’s frustrations with the alliance, but that the “large majority of European nations” had been helpful to Washington’s war effort in Iran.
Trump, after the meeting with Rutte, took to social media. He wrote, “NATO WASN’T THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM, AND THEY WON’T BE THERE IF WE NEED THEM AGAIN.”
The White House has publicly said that Trump has considered withdrawing from the alliance altogether. Removing troops from Europe would allow Trump to dramatically lessen Washington’s security commitments on the continent without formally withdrawing, a move that would test constitutional law.
The US currently has more than 80,000 troops in Europe and has played a central role in Europe’s security architecture since World War Two. More than 30,000 of those troops are located in Germany, with sizeable numbers also stationed in Italy, the United Kingdom and Spain.
Despite the existence of the list, officials from the bloc don’t seem worried.
“They don’t seem to have very concrete ideas… when it comes to punishing bad allies,” another European official told Politico. “Moving troops is one option, but it mainly punishes the US, doesn’t it?”
FAQs
1. What is Trump’s ‘naughty and nice’ list?
It is a list of Nato allies based on their contributions to the bloc’s defence and their support for the US over the Iran war.
2. Which countries are believed to be on the ‘nice’ list?
Poland and Romania are believed on the ‘nice’ list due to their strong military contributions and support for US operations.
3. Why are some Nato countries unhappy with the US stance?
Countries like Britain and France have refused to support the US blockade related to the Iran conflict, saying they do not want to be drawn into the war.
With inputs from agencies
First Published: April 23, 2026, 13:47 IST
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