President Donald Trump is seriously thinking about taking the United States out of NATO, which he calls a “paper tiger,” because he is frustrated that allies are not willing to help the U.S. and Israel fight Iran. This comes as Trump hints that the U.S. could pull out of the Iran war in a few weeks, even though important issues like the Strait of Hormuz are still not settled.
Trump has said many times that NATO countries, especially France and the UK, should have supported the US in the Iran war. He called France’s refusal to let U.S. military planes headed for Israel use its airspace “VERY UNHELPFUL” on Truth Social. Germany, France, and the UK, among other allies, have pushed for diplomacy instead of military action, which has strained ties across the Atlantic.
Under U.S. law, a two-thirds majority in the Senate would have to agree to leave NATO. Trump’s words sound like past complaints about the alliance, which are now stronger because of the Iran conflict, when allies refused to join without first talking to each other. His signals that the war was over were well received by the markets, and oil prices fell below $100 even though Iran was threatening U.S. tech companies and shipping lanes.
European leaders are worried about Trump’s threats, especially since NATO is backing Ukraine against Russia. The U.S. conflict with Iran, which costs up to $2 billion a day, shows that Trump is putting American interests ahead of long-standing alliances. This could change global security by making Europe and the Middle East less important.
