US President Donald Trump said he is strongly considering pulling the United States out of NATO after it failed to join his war on Iran.
In an interview with The Telegraph, the US president labelled the alliance a “paper tiger” as he said removing America from the defense treaty was now “beyond reconsideration”.
It is the strongest sign yet that the White House no longer regards Europe as a reliable defense partner following the rejection of Trump’s demand that allies send warships to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump was asked if he would reconsider the US’s membership of the alliance after the conflict. “Oh yes, I would say [it’s] beyond reconsideration,” he replied. “I was never swayed by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger, and Putin knows that too, by the way.”
He added: “Beyond not being there, it was actually hard to believe. And I didn’t do a big sale. I just said, ‘Hey’, you know, I didn’t insist too much. I just think it should be automatic.
“We’ve been there automatically, including Ukraine. Ukraine wasn’t our problem. It was a test, and we were there for them, and we would always have been there for them. They weren’t there for us.”
Trump Slams Starmer and UK PM Responds
Singling out the UK, the US president rebuked Sir Keir Starmer for refusing to get involved in the American-Israeli war against Iran, suggesting the Royal Navy was not up for the task.
“You don’t even have a navy. You’re too old and had aircraft carriers that didn’t work,” he said, referring to the state of Britain’s fleet of warships.
Asked if the UK PM should spend more on defense, Trump added: “I’m not going to tell him what to do. He can do whatever he wants. It doesn’t matter. All Starmer wants is costly windmills that are driving your energy prices through the roof.”
Responding to Trump, Starmer said he will act in the country’s interest, whatever the “noise,” when asked about Trump saying he was strongly considering pulling the United States out of NATO.
“Whatever the pressure on me and others, whatever the noise, I’m going to act in the British national interest in the decisions that I make,” Starmer told reporters.
🚨 BREAKING: PM Keir Starmer doubles down on refusal to join U.S. offensive in Iran.
— Migrant (@ShaanUnfiltered) April 1, 2026
Despite intense pressure from the Trump administration, Starmer remains resolute:
I am not going to change my position on the war… I am the British Prime Minister and I have to act in our… https://t.co/IpzcfP9YIC pic.twitter.com/KXIdLqlSbN
Source: Agencies (edited by Al-Manar)