In a forceful critique, Donald Trump has targeted NATO allies shortly after the U.S. seized a Russian-flagged tanker in European waters and amid escalating tensions with Greenland.

The former President criticized supporters of the post-World War II military alliance, emphasizing that most member countries have not met their financial commitments. He pointed out that many nations are spending only 2 percent of their GDP on defense, falling short of the 5 percent target established at The Hague last summer.

Trump remarked, “Until I came along, the USA was, foolishly, paying for them,” in a statement released Wednesday morning.

He further commented, “Russia and China have zero fear of NATO without the United States, and I doubt NATO would support us if we truly needed them.”

Despite his criticism, Trump assured, “We will always support NATO, even if they won’t support us. The only nation that China and Russia fear and respect is the USA, rebuilt under DJT.”

The broadside comes as the US, in another show of its military superiority, seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker off the north coast of Scotland. Moscow had recently dispatched a submarine to escort the vessel, which was on the run from Venezuela.

Europe is on edge after Trump threatened to seize Greenland, a Danish territory, following his capture of Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro in the early hours of Saturday. 

Britain, France and Italy released a statement backing Denmark on Monday after the White House announced that the President was exploring plans to take control of Greenland, including buying the land or taking control of its defense. 

Trump signs an executive order in the Oval Office in the White House on December 18

The US seized the Russian-flagged oil tanker Bella 1 in the North Atlantic waters between Iceland and Scotland on Wednesday. 

Dramatic footage showed US special forces storming the ship after pursuing it for weeks in an operation inflaming tensions with Moscow.

The Coast Guard also captured a second tanker , the Sophia, off the coast of the Caribbean in the coordinated operation this morning as America strangles the flow of oil from Venezuela to its adversaries including Russia, China and Iran.

Secretary of War Pete Hegseth put the world on notice by saying that the blockade of Venezuelan oil is in full effect, and said no ship is safe anywhere in the world. 

‘The United States continues to enforce the blockade against all dark fleet vessels illegally transporting Venezuelan oil to finance illicit activity, stealing from the Venezuelan people,’ he wrote on X.

‘Only legitimate and lawful energy commerce – as determined by the US – will be permitted.’

Russia’s Transport Ministry responded: ‘No state has the right to use force against vessels properly registered in other countries’ jurisdictions.’

Trump in the last week has thrown decades of precedent out of the window in his treatment of NATO allies and Congress.

Pictures in Russian media purportedly showed helicopters approaching the vessel today 

American forces captured a separate ‘dark fleet’ tanker called the M/T Sophia

The vessel was described as a ‘stateless, sanctioned dark fleet motor tanker’

The President consulted neither parties before launching his audacious snatch-and-grab raid of Maduro on Saturday, and now chills relations further with threatening to invade Greenland – a neighbor which the US has vowed to protect since 1951.

Trump, emboldened by Maduro’s capture, touted the ‘Donroe Doctrine’, his version of the Monroe Doctrine, the 1800s-era policy that warned against European colonization in the Americas articulated by President James Monroe.

‘They now call it the ‘Donroe Doctrine.’ American dominance in the Western Hemisphere will never be questioned again,’ he told reporters. 

He has revived the concept as a cornerstone in American foreign policy to justify an aggressive, interventionist approach in the Western Hemisphere.    

The administration views the presence of China, Russia and Iran in Latin America as a modern violation of the Monroe Doctrine. 

China in particular has created foreign companies to build infrastructure in the region as part of its global Belt and Road strategy to make nations around the world reliant on its technology and services.

Trump wants to force these adversaries out of the region and deny them the ability to control vital resources such as minerals and energy. Venezuela has the word’s largest proven oil reserves.