US President Donald Trump has stated that he is seriously considering withdrawing the United States from NATO, once again criticizing the alliance as a “paper tiger.”
“NATO is beyond recognition,” Trump said in an interview with The Telegraph. “I was never influenced by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger, and Vladimir Putin knows it too,” he added.
In recent weeks, Trump has intensified criticism toward US allies, accusing them of failing to contribute to efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which has effectively been closed by Iran amid ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
He also emphasized that the United States has supported countries in need, including Ukraine, even when it was “not their problem.”
Trump further directed criticism at the United Kingdom, claiming it lacks sufficient naval strength and referencing issues with its aircraft carriers.
The US president has been a long-time critic of NATO. Prior to his first term, he suggested that he might encourage Russia to act against alliance members that fail to meet their defense spending obligations. During his presidency, including at the 2018 NATO summit, he repeatedly threatened withdrawal and criticized member states for not allocating at least 2% of their GDP to defense.
