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Shkruar nga PamfletiTrump's demand that NATO be involved in the war against Iran has also raised questions about Article 5, the collective defense clause that stipulates that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all.
Donald Trump has told The Telegraph newspaper that he is seriously considering withdrawing the United States from NATO, after the alliance did not join his war against Iran.
The US president described NATO as a "paper tiger" and said that the US's withdrawal from the defense treaty is now "beyond reconsideration."
This statement constitutes the strongest signal yet that the White House no longer considers Europe a reliable partner in the field of defense, following the allies' refusal to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz.
Asked if he would reconsider US membership in NATO after the conflict, Trump replied: "Oh yes, I would say it's beyond reconsideration. I've never been convinced by NATO. I've always known they're a paper tiger, and Putin knows that too, by the way."
NATO partners have been reluctant to help reopen the strait, through which about 20 percent of the world's oil normally passes. Tehran has effectively closed the corridor for weeks, driving up global oil and gas prices and raising the risk of a global recession.
Trump added: "Beyond the fact that they weren't there, it was really hard to believe. And I didn't put any great pressure on it. I just said, 'Hey,' you know, I didn't push it too hard. I think it should have been automatic."
"We were there automatically, including Ukraine. Ukraine was not our problem. It was a test, and we were there for them, and we always would have been. They were not there for us."
Singling out the United Kingdom, the US president criticized Prime Minister Keir Starmer for refusing to get involved in the US-Israeli war against Iran, questioning the capabilities of the British navy.
"You don't even have a navy. You're too old and you had aircraft carriers that weren't working," he said, referring to the state of the British fleet.
Asked whether Starmer should increase defense spending, Trump replied: "I'm not going to tell him what to do. He can do whatever he wants. It doesn't matter. All Starmer wants are expensive windmills that are driving up energy prices."
The White House has increasingly expressed displeasure with traditional partners for their stance on the conflict. Secretary of State Marco Rubio called NATO a “one-way street,” criticizing allies for not allowing the use of their military bases.
In an interview with Fox News, Rubio said the US would have to "reconsider" NATO membership after the end of the war with Iran.
"I think there's no doubt that, unfortunately, after this conflict ends, we will have to reconsider that relationship."
"If NATO is all about us defending Europe when it's attacked, but they deny us the right to use the bases when we need to, that's not a good deal. It's hard to stay committed to it."
Trump told The Telegraph that he was "pleased" with Rubio's statements.
The president is expected to deliver an “address to the nation” at 9 p.m. ET to provide an update on the war. On Tuesday night, he said the conflict could be over in “two weeks, maybe three,” stressing that the sole goal is to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.
According to The Telegraph, Trump is also considering changes to NATO's structure to punish countries that fail to meet funding requirements. Senior administration officials have proposed a "pay-for-participation" model that could limit allies' decision-making power, including in cases of war.
Sources close to the president said he is also considering withdrawing US troops from Germany, an idea he has discussed since returning to office last year.
Trump's demand that NATO be involved in the war against Iran has also raised questions about Article 5, the collective defense clause that stipulates that an attack on one member is considered an attack on all.
This clause has only been activated once, after the September 11 attacks on the US. More than 1,100 non-US troops lost their lives in the subsequent war in Afghanistan, including 457 British soldiers.
However, this provision only applies when a member country is attacked and does not include the war in Iran, which began with joint US-Israeli air strikes on February 28.
Trapi është një kalama i pështirë egoist që ofendon dhe bën lëmsh gjithë botën. Shpresa është ti bëjnë impichment. Se kush kishte shkruar Merika uk është Trampi. Amerika është Trampi.