WASHINGTON: Donald Trump has voiced strong disappointment with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), accusing the alliance of failing to support the United States during its conflict with Iran.
The US president said Washington has spent trillions of dollars defending Europe against Russia, but claimed NATO members did not stand by the United States when needed.
“They’re going to be coming up. But I’m very disappointed in NATO. They weren’t there for us. We pay trillions of dollars for NATO, and they weren’t there for us,” Trump said.
Trump has long criticised NATO, arguing that European allies should increase defence spending and take greater responsibility for their own security. His scepticism toward the alliance dates back to before his first presidential term, according to reports.
He also described the alliance’s lack of support as a stain that “will never disappear,” at one point referring to NATO as a “paper tiger.”
Meanwhile, Friedrich Merz, Germany’s chancellor, described the situation as a “trans-Atlantic stress test,” highlighting tensions within the alliance.
Despite Trump’s criticism, analysts say the US president cannot unilaterally withdraw the United States from NATO. Such a move would require a two-thirds majority in the United States Senate or an act of United States Congress.
NATO continues to enjoy broad support among lawmakers from both major American political parties, making a formal withdrawal unlikely.
However, the US could still adjust its military posture. Approximately 84,000 American troops are currently stationed across Europe, and the administration could choose to reposition them.
According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, Trump is considering relocating US military bases from countries he believes did not support Washington during the conflict with Iran.
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