WASHINGTON -- "NATO wasn't there when we needed them, and they won't be there if we need them again," US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday.

His remarks came as NATO chief Mark Rutte arrived in Washington for a visit aimed at repairing the crumbling transatlantic alliance.

In a Truth Social post after talks with Rutte in the White House, he also said, "Remember Greenland, that big, poorly run, piece of ice!"

Speaking to CNN, Rutte admitted that Trump "is clearly disappointed with many NATO allies," describing the talks as "very frank, very open."

Since the Iran war began, Trump demanded NATO allies join the United States to open the Strait of Hormuz, but was rejected. European countries like Spain and Italy even refused the US military to use their airspace, which enraged Trump.

Over the past several weeks, Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO for failing to assist the United States in the war, and threatened to quit the treaty alliance.

The rift in the transatlantic alliance has widened during Trump's second term, fueled by his decision to launch the war on Iran, and earlier tensions over his push to take over Denmark's Greenland.

The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, citing US officials, Trump and his team are considering a plan to punish some NATO allies the US leader believes were unhelpful to the 39-day US-Israeli war with Iran.

Under the plan, which has circulated and gained support among senior officials in the Trump administration in recent weeks, the Pentagon would move US troops out of NATO members deemed unhelpful to US war efforts and station them in countries considered more supportive, according to the report.

The plan could also involve closing a US base in at least one of the European countries, possibly Spain or Germany, said the report, citing two Trump administration officials.

Countries that could benefit because they are viewed as supportive include Poland, Romania, Lithuania and Greece, the officials were quoted as saying.