ERBIL, Kurdistan Region of Iraq – US President Donald Trump on Monday said that he is “very disappointed” with the Kurds for allegedly keeping the weapons US had sent to Iranian protesters, noting the Kurds “take, take, take,” despite Kurdish political and armed forces denying that they have received any weaponry.

Speaking to reporters, Trump stated that Washington had intended for the Kurds to deliver weapons to Iranian protesters during the nationwide January protests “but the Kurds disappointed us, the Kurds take, take, take.”

He further noted that while enjoying “a great reputation” in the American congress for fighting “so hard” alongside the US, the Kurds only fight “when they get paid.”

“So I am very disappointed in the Kurds,” he said, reiterating “we sent them some guns with ammunition, and they were supposed to be delivered but they kept it.”

The president first made the accusation in early April, which was soon denied by Kurdish political forces, with Iranian Kurdish opposition groups collectively rejecting reports of having received any weapons.

The groups were previously accused in early March of launching ground incursions into Iran from the country’s western border to join the conflict against Tehran, reports they strongly denied.

The Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) including both ruling parties, Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) and Patriotic Union of Kurdistan (PUK), similarly denied the accusation.

Trump’s words have also been widely criticized for the lack of specificity regarding the particular Kurdish group that had allegedly received the weapons, which has led to internal strife among the Kurdish political and armed forces.