German Defense Minister Boris Pistorius has rejected US President Donald Trump’s demand for loyalty from other NATO members, insisting that no member state should impose its will on the others.

Pistorius made the comments in a wide-ranging interview with Der Spiegel, which was published on Thursday. He used the opportunity to play down tensions between Washington and Berlin, which were exacerbated by the US-Israeli war against Iran.

Pistorius was pressed on Trump’s remarks from last week, in which he said he is “disappointed with most” of the NATO members over their reluctance to take part in the Iran war. “I just want loyalty. You know, we’re so loyal to them. We are always fighting for them,” he said.

He went on to single out Germany, noting that the US has tens of thousands of troops in the country. “And then you want a little – give us a little nudge, give us a little kiss. We don’t want much. And they say, ‘No, we can’t do it.’”

Pistorius pushed back, telling Der Spiegel that “NATO’s concept is not one of blind obedience, but rather… a spirit free in deliberation.” He stressed that decisions within the bloc are made “by free consensus of all member states and without being dictated by individual member states.”

Asked what military support the US actually wanted from Berlin, Pistorius said he is “not aware of any” requests. “Besides, refusing a little kiss can happen in the best of relationships. And unintentionally, too. That’s hardly a marital crisis,” he added.

The defense minister, however, concurred with Trump’s longstanding demand that NATO spend more on defense, but insisted that Germany is doing so “because it’s in our interest, not because the US wants us to.”

Relations between the US and Germany frayed after Pistorius signaled that Berlin would not join US-led operations in the Strait of Hormuz, arguing that “this is not our war.” Following the spat, the Pentagon announced in May that it would withdraw 5,000 troops from Germany over the next 6 to 12 months. US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth – who called the behavior of NATO members “shameful” – announced a six-month review of the US military posture in Europe last month.