There was a report that U.S. President Donald Trump is considering withdrawing from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
The British daily the Telegraph asked in an interview on the 31st (local time), "After the Iran war, will the United States reconsider maintaining NATO membership?" Trump answered, "Yes. I would say we are past the point of reconsideration."
He added, "I have never been influenced by NATO," and "I have always known they were a paper tiger, and Putin (Russian President Vladimir Putin) knows that too."
The Telegraph interpreted it as the strongest signal that the White House does not see Europe as a reliable defense partner.
Since Iran blocked the Strait of Hormuz, President Trump has repeatedly criticized NATO's European allies for not supporting a U.S. strike on Iran and for refusing to deploy forces to the Strait of Hormuz.
Trump said, "It was hard to believe. It's not like I tried to persuade them hugely; I just said something like 'Hey' and didn't push it hard," adding, "I thought (allied support in response to a U.S. request) should be automatic."
He continued, "We were automatically there, including for Ukraine," and "Ukraine was not our problem. It was a kind of test, and we were there for them, but they were not there for us."
Regarding U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's remarks in a Fox News interview that it is necessary to reconsider whether the United States should maintain NATO membership after the end of the war, President Donald Trump said he welcomed "such remarks."
Major European allies also appear reluctant to intervene militarily. Spain did not allow U.S. military aircraft to pass through its airspace, and Italy restricted the use of an air base in Sicily. Poland
refused to deploy its Patriot air defense system to the Middle East.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer also did not approve the use of bases in Britain during the first U.S. strike on Iran. He repeatedly said Britain's role is limited to supporting air defenses of partner countries in the Middle East.
In the interview with the Telegraph, Trump criticized Britain, saying, "You don't even have a navy," and "It's decrepit and the aircraft carrier doesn't even work." After being rebuffed on the Hormuz deployment, he blasted the British Navy's aircraft carrier as a "toy."
On the 27th, the Telegraph quoted a close aide to President Trump as saying that Trump is considering a plan to exclude member states that do not meet NATO's defense spending target of 5% of gross domestic product (GDP) from the decision-making process.
Sources also said Trump is revisiting the plan to withdraw U.S. forces stationed in Germany, which he has been reviewing since taking office last year.