U.S. Ambassador to Poland Tom Rose criticized European allies for lacking the courage to confront the threat posed by Iran, echoing recent statements by President Trump.
Ambassador Rose’s Criticism of European Action
Tom Rose published a post on social media regarding Europe’s stance on U.S. actions related to the conflict with Iran. The U.S. Ambassador to Poland wrote that European allies are well aware of the Iranian regime and the threat it poses, but this does not translate into concrete action.
Rose stated, “If Europe does not see Iran as a direct threat, why should Americans treat it as such on behalf of Europe? Europe seems tough, but acts slowly. They know what Iran is and the threat it poses, but they lack courage, not to mention the ability to defend themselves.”
European Awareness of Iranian Regime
The ambassador added that European capitals are fully aware of who they are dealing with. He emphasized that Iran is ruled by a fanatical Islamist regime with a half-century history of apocalyptic terrorism, murdering tens of thousands of its own citizens, openly calling for the destruction of Israel and ‘death to America,’ and continuing to build ballistic missiles to protect its nuclear program.
Trump’s Expectations from Europe
Rose clarified that Donald Trump did not ask Europe for direct military engagement. He stated, “Let’s be clear – President Donald Trump never asked Europe to fight with us. All Donald Trump wanted was permission to use airports and bases that we paid for, manned, and maintained to defend Europe. Not troops. Not escalation. Just access. Even that proved too difficult.”
Alliances and Lack of Support
The diplomat further stated, “Alliances are not durable when one side refuses to help the other.” This statement underscores growing tensions between the U.S. and Europe.
Rising Tensions and NATO
Rose’s post aligns with Donald Trump’s recent narrative, where he has called NATO a “paper tiger” and threatened to withdraw the U.S. from the alliance. Tensions between the United States and some European countries have particularly increased since the start of the conflict with Iran.
Divergent European Responses
Some European governments were unwilling to engage even indirectly in U.S. actions, which was seen in Washington as a lack of allied solidarity. Spain, for example, prohibited Americans from using its airfields for aircraft involved in operations against Iran. Conversely, Great Britain provided access to its bases in the region for U.S. “defensive operations.”