US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday (local time) that he is strongly considering withdrawing Washington from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the Daily Telegraph reported.
Labeling the alliance a “paper tiger” came after it failed to join Trump in his war against Iran. He noted that withdrawing the US from the defense treaty is now “beyond reconsideration”.
Trump’s remarks are a strong sign that the White House no longer sees Europe as a reliable defense partner after rejecting Trump’s call for allies to help him reopen the Strait of Hormuz by sending warships. The strait was closed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) days after the US and Israel launched a war against Tehran that targeted the country’s military and naval forces and killed some of its most important leaders, including former Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed on the first day of strikes in late February.
The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway, but one of the most important because it is responsible for transporting roughly 20 percent of the world’s oil reserves. The decision to close the strait rattled global energy markets and sent tremors through countries, with some declaring a national state of emergency over a possible oil shortage.
Trump is reconsidering US membership in NATO
Asked if he would reconsider the country’s NATO membership, Trump said: “Oh yes, I would say (it is) up for reconsideration. I’ve never been swayed by NATO. I’ve always known they’re a paper tiger, and by the way Putin knows that.”
This is a breaking story. Further details were awaited.
