Gambiaj.com – (WASHINGTON, United States) – President Donald Trump has said he is strongly considering withdrawing the United States from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, sharply criticizing the alliance over what he described as a lack of support for his administration’s military strikes on Iran.
In remarks to The Telegraph, Trump described NATO as a “paper tiger” and suggested that removing the United States from the bloc was now “beyond reconsideration.”
“I was never swayed by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger, and Vladimir Putin knows that too, by the way,” Trump said.
The U.S. president also criticized the United Kingdom, claiming it “doesn’t even have a navy,” after Keir Starmer reaffirmed that Britain would not join the conflict, saying London would not be “dragged in” to a war that “was not our war.”
Speaking at a press conference in Westminster, Starmer dismissed the criticism, saying he would not respond to “noise” or “pressure” to enter the conflict.
“NATO is the single most effective military alliance the world has ever seen,” Starmer said, adding that he would act only in Britain’s national interest.
“I’ve been absolutely clear that this is not our war and we’re not going to get dragged into it,” he said.
Trump also singled out the United Kingdom and France for their reluctance to support U.S. and Israeli military action against Iran. In a social media post, he warned that Washington “won’t be there to help you any more, just like you weren’t there for us” and told allies they would have to “get your own oil.”
The remarks come as tensions escalate over the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for global oil supplies. The disruption has placed significant economic pressure on European countries, which have been criticised by the Trump administration for not participating in the strikes on Iran.
Trump argued that allied backing should have been automatic, citing Washington’s role in diplomatic efforts to mediate the war between Ukraine and Russia.
“Ukraine wasn’t our problem. It was a test, and we were there for them,” he said. “They weren’t there for us.”
The comments mark the latest escalation in Trump’s longstanding criticism of NATO members over defense spending and burden-sharing. During his first presidency, Trump repeatedly threatened to pull the United States out of the alliance.
According to former NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, the White House had previously drafted a speech announcing a U.S. withdrawal during Trump’s first term, though it was never delivered.
In his memoir On My Watch, Stoltenberg wrote that he had seen “clear signs” that Trump was preparing to act on the threat before publicly crediting him with pushing NATO members to increase defense spending.
NATO spending rose by about 20 percent in 2025 compared with the previous year, according to the alliance’s latest report.
Analysts say the latest dispute reflects deep divisions within NATO as members debate how to respond to the Iran conflict, particularly after some allies said they were not consulted before U.S. and Israeli strikes.
The current NATO chief, Mark Rutte, is now under pressure to maintain unity within the alliance and keep Washington committed to the bloc as European governments simultaneously explore ways to strengthen their own defense capabilities.
Despite tensions, defense experts note that the military power of the United States remains central to NATO’s strength, underscoring the stakes of Trump’s renewed threat to withdraw from the alliance.
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