President Donald Trump is reportedly giving serious thought to pulling the United States out of NATO after members refused to help the U.S. prevent Iran from blocking the Strait of Hormuz.
In an interview with The Telegraph, Trump called NATO a weak and unreliable partner, referring to it as a “paper tiger,” and said that leaving the alliance is “beyond reconsideration.”
The president complained that the United States has always defended Europe even when European allies “weren’t here for us” when he asked them for support with the Iranian regime. He also took shots at the United Kingdom’s military strength, saying, “You don’t even have a navy. You’re too old and had aircraft carriers that didn’t work.”
Trump’s comments come as his administration seeks to apply more pressure on NATO members, including ideas like a “pay-to-play model” that would penalize nations that do not spend enough on defense or allow the U.S. to have access to military bases.
They Are Paper Tiger – Trump Considers US Withdrawal From NATO After Allies Refused Backing War In Iran pic.twitter.com/22tpzXtk7Y
— Rowland Rowlex (@rolexwealth) April 1, 2026
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the U.S. should “re-examine” its partnership with NATO and whether it remains a “one-way street” in which America is constantly protecting European interests without reciprocity when it comes to breaking Iran’s blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.
Pulling the U.S. out of NATO might be difficult because Congress passed a 2023 law prohibiting the president from withdrawing from NATO without Senate or full congressional approval. However, Trump could still pull U.S. troops and military support.
The conflict came after Trump asked European allies to send warships to the Strait of Hormuz to assist the United States in stopping Iran’s ability to block the flow of traffic through the waterway. Each EU ally refused, expressing concerns about entering the Iran war.
Donald Trump considers exiting NATO after allies refused Iran war support, citing frustration as Strait of Hormuz disruption hits energy flows and raises recession fears.
— BigBreakingWire (@BigBreakingWire) April 1, 2026
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Trump lashed out at allies, insisting that countries that rely on oil from the Persian Gulf should be more involved in ensuring that it can still be transported through the region, given that it supplies about one-fifth of the world’s oil trade.
If Trump follows through on his threat, it could ignite yet another political battle in the U.S. Republican Rep. Don Bacon (NE-02) said such a move could split the Republican Party while impeding U.S. military reach overseas.
Others have warned that leaving NATO might embolden rivals such as Russia and China while destabilizing global geopolitics.