US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he is strongly considering withdrawing the United States from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), describing the transatlantic alliance as a “paper tiger” amid growing disagreements with European partners over the ongoing conflict with Iran.In an interview with The Telegraph, Trump said leaving NATO was now “beyond reconsideration”, adding: “I’ve never been impressed by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger, and Putin knows that too, by the way.”
He watches
Trump’s ‘most humiliating collapse’ as allies abandon US in Iran war; Announcing NATO’s exit soon?
These statements represent one of his strongest signals yet that Washington may reevaluate its long-term security commitments in Europe.These comments come after NATO allies refused to support US calls to deploy forces to secure the Strait of Hormuz, a vital oil transit route that was disrupted during the conflict with Iran.
Nearly 20% of the world’s oil flows through the strait, and its closure has led to volatility in global energy markets.Trump criticized the allies for what he described as a lack of reciprocity. “We were there spontaneously, including Ukraine… They were not there for us,” he said, referring to Western support during previous conflicts.The US president also targeted British leadership, rebuking Keir Starmer over Britain’s decision not to join the US-Israeli military effort.
“You don’t even have a navy. You’re old and you have aircraft carriers that don’t work,” Trump said, while declining to directly advise London on defense spending.US Secretary of State Marco Rubio echoed the criticism, calling NATO a “one-way street” and warning that Washington might “reconsider” its role after the conflict. He cited concerns about restricting access to allied military bases during the crisis.
reconnaissance
Do you think NATO Article 5 should be invoked more often?
This debate also revived questions about NATO’s Article 5 clause – the collective defense clause that was invoked only once after the September 11 attacks. Officials point out that the clause applies only when a member state is under attack, and not to offensive operations such as the current conflict with Iran, which began with joint US-Israeli strikes. Separately, reports indicate that the US administration is considering structural changes in NATO, including a “pay-for-play” model linked to defense spending and the potential withdrawal of US forces from Germany.(With inputs from agencies)
