LONDON — U.S. President Donald Trump has once again stirred international debate by declaring that he is seriously considering pulling the United States out of NATO, according to Hurriyet Daily News. In an interview with The Telegraph, Trump said the alliance had “failed to stand by America” during its war against Iran and dismissed it as a “paper tiger.”
Trump, long known for criticizing NATO allies over defense spending, suggested the alliance no longer serves U.S. interests. “I was never swayed by NATO,” he said. “I always knew they were a paper tiger and Putin knows that too.”
The president expressed frustration that NATO members refused to support Washington’s military campaign against Iran. “It was actually hard to believe,” he said. “I didn’t push them hard, I thought their support should have been automatic.”
He contrasted NATO’s hesitation with past U.S. commitments to European security, citing America’s longstanding backing of Ukraine. “Ukraine wasn’t our problem, but we stood with them. They weren’t there for us,” Trump said.
Trump also lashed out at British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, mocking the state of the United Kingdom’s navy and saying London had “no appetite” for war. “You don’t even have a navy. You’re too old and your aircraft carriers don’t work,” he added.
His comments came just hours after Secretary of State Marco Rubio appeared on Fox News, suggesting the U.S. would “reexamine” its relationship with NATO once the conflict with Iran ends. Rubio, previously a strong defender of the alliance, questioned its current usefulness, saying that if NATO allies deny access to U.S. bases during wartime, the alliance becomes “a one-way street.”
Trump praised Rubio’s remarks, calling them “right on point.”
In response, Prime Minister Starmer reaffirmed Britain’s full commitment to the alliance. “NATO remains the single most effective military alliance the world has ever seen,” he said, emphasizing that it has “kept us safe for decades.”
As tensions rise between Washington and its traditional allies, the future of NATO, once the cornerstone of Western defense, now seems more uncertain than ever.
