Trump says US exit from NATO “beyond reconsideration” after Iran rift

Donald Trump has said he is seriously considering withdrawing the United States from NATO, sharply criticising the alliance after it declined to support his military campaign against Iran, according to an interview with The Telegraph.

The US president described NATO as a “paper tiger” and indicated that leaving the alliance was now “beyond reconsideration,” marking one of his strongest signals yet that Washington no longer views European allies as dependable security partners. His comments follow the refusal of NATO members to comply with his request to deploy warships to help reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

When asked directly whether he would reconsider US membership in NATO after the conflict, Trump responded: “Oh yes, I would say [it’s] beyond reconsideration. I was never swayed by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger, and Putin knows that too, by the way.”

The Strait of Hormuz, through which roughly 20% of global oil supplies typically pass, has been effectively closed by Tehran for weeks. The disruption has driven up global oil and gas prices and raised fears of a worldwide economic downturn. Despite this, NATO allies have been reluctant to participate in efforts to reopen the waterway.

Trump expressed frustration at what he described as a lack of automatic support from allies. “Beyond not being there, it was actually hard to believe. And I didn’t do a big sale. I just said, ‘Hey’, you know, I didn’t insist too much. I just think it should be automatic.

“We’ve been there automatically, including Ukraine. Ukraine wasn’t our problem. It was a test, and we were there for them, and we would always have been there for them. They weren’t there for us.”

He also singled out Keir Starmer, criticizing the UK’s decision not to join the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran and questioning the readiness of Britain’s naval forces. “You don’t even have a navy. You’re too old and had aircraft carriers that didn’t work,” Trump said, referring to the condition of the UK’s fleet.

When asked whether the British prime minister should increase defense spending, Trump said: “I’m not going to tell him what to do. He can do whatever he wants. It doesn’t matter. All Starmer wants is costly windmills that are driving your energy prices through the roof.”

Following Trump’s remarks, Starmer reaffirmed his commitment to NATO, calling it “the single most effective military alliance the world has ever seen.” He also indicated that London would seek closer ties with European partners amid deteriorating relations with Washington.

Emphasizing the UK’s position, Starmer said that “whatever the noise,” his government would act in the national interest. “This is not our war and we’re not going to get dragged into it,” he reiterated.

Tensions have also been rising within the US administration. Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, criticized NATO as a “one-way street,” accusing allies of refusing to grant access to military bases during the conflict. Speaking on Fox News shortly before Trump’s interview, Rubio said Washington may need to reassess its relationship with the alliance after the war ends.

“I think there’s no doubt, unfortunately, after this conflict is concluded we are going to have to re-examine that relationship.

“If NATO is just about us defending Europe if they’re attacked, but them denying us basing rights when we need them, that’s not a very good arrangement. That’s a hard one to stay engaged in.”

Trump said he was “glad” Rubio made those remarks.

The president is scheduled to deliver an “address to the nation” at 9 p.m. EST on Wednesday (2 a.m. BST Thursday), where he is expected to provide an update on the war. A day earlier, he suggested the conflict could end within “two weeks, maybe three,” stating that its sole objective is to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

The tensions come amid broader discussions within the administration about reshaping NATO. Reports indicate Trump has been considering measures to penalize members that fail to meet defense spending targets, including a proposed “pay-to-play model” that could limit certain allies’ influence in decision-making, including wartime actions.

Sources close to the president also said he is weighing the possibility of withdrawing US troops from Germany, a move he has contemplated since returning to office.

Trump’s push for NATO involvement in the Iran conflict has also renewed scrutiny of Article 5, the alliance’s collective defense clause stating that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all. The provision has been invoked only once, following the September 11 attacks on the United States, after which more than 1,100 non-US troops, including 457 British soldiers, were killed in the war in Afghanistan.

However, Article 5 applies only when a member state is attacked and does not extend to the current conflict with Iran, which began with joint US-Israeli air strikes on February 28.

By Tamilla Hasanova