"Paper Tiger".. Trump: I Am Seriously Considering Withdrawing from NATO

Sada News - President Donald Trump has escalated his threats towards NATO, stating that he is "seriously" considering withdrawing the United States from the defense alliance, following European allies' refusal to join U.S.-led military operations against Iran.

In an interview with the British "Daily Telegraph," Trump described the alliance, established 77 years ago, as a "paper tiger," noting that the decision to end U.S. membership has "gone beyond the stage of reconsideration."

This is the strongest indication thus far that the White House no longer views Europe as a reliable defense partner, following Trump's request for allies to send warships to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

These statements come amid increasing tensions between the White House and its traditional allies, after European countries rejected a U.S. request to send naval vessels to secure the Strait of Hormuz, where oil shipping has been disrupted for weeks due to rising tensions with Tehran.

Trump said in the interview: "NATO has never convinced me of anything... I've always known they are a paper tiger. By the way, Putin knows that too."

He added, criticizing what he described as a lack of reciprocity: "We have always been there for them, including in Ukraine... but they have not been there for us."

The U.S. president particularly criticized British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, implying a decline in the capabilities of the British Royal Navy after London refused to engage in the current armed conflict.

Trump said: "You don't even have a navy... you have aircraft carriers that don't work," adding that Starmer's interests lie in green energy projects that he described as increasing costs for citizens.

Trump is scheduled to deliver a speech on Wednesday to provide an update on the progress of the war. He stated that the war could end in "two weeks, maybe three," clarifying that its only goal is to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

The "Telegraph" revealed last week that Trump is considering a restructuring of NATO aimed at penalizing members who do not meet his funding demands.

Senior administration members have pushed for a "pay-for-play model" that could prevent allies from participating in decision-making, including when the alliance enters into war.

Sources close to the president indicated that he is also contemplating withdrawing U.S. troops from Germany, a move he has been considering since returning to office last year.

Trump's request for NATO's assistance in his war with Iran raised questions about Article Five, which is the mutual defense clause stating that "an attack on one member is an attack on all."

This article has only been activated once, after the September 11 attacks on the United States, where more than 1,100 non-American soldiers were killed in the subsequent war in Afghanistan, including 457 British soldiers.