Trump Accuses South Korea of Ingratitude Over Refusal to Back U.S. on Iran

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has accused South Korea of ingratitude, declaring that Washington would be foolish to keep supporting Seoul if it refuses to back the United States in disputes such as the conflict with Iran.

In reported remarks, Trump lambasted U.S. spending on allies and said reciprocal support was missing. "We help other countries. We spend billions on NATO and South Korea, but when it came to helping us, they said: 'No, thank you.' If they are not willing to meet us halfway, you can't just be a fool and help them," he said.

The statement sharpens Trump's long-running criticism that American allies take U.S. military and financial aid without matching commitments. He held up South Korea's position on Iran as a case of such imbalance and signaled that continued American backing should depend on Seoul's willingness to support Washington.

South Korea remains a major U.S. treaty ally, and the comments revive questions about burden-sharing and alliance obligations under a potential future Trump administration.