US President cites lack of allied support and questions alliance strength in latest remarks
April 1, 2026: US President Donald Trump has indicated that Washington is “strongly considering” withdrawing from NATO, citing insufficient support from allies during recent US military actions against Iran. In an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Trump reportedly described the alliance as a “paper tiger,” signalling a significant shift in the US stance toward the decades-old security bloc.
Trump further suggested that exiting NATO is now “beyond reconsideration,” reviving his long-standing criticism of the alliance’s effectiveness and burden-sharing. He has repeatedly argued that member nations do not contribute enough to collective defence, weakening the organisation’s credibility on the global stage.
Reinforcing his point, Trump claimed that even Vladimir Putin perceives NATO as weak. His remarks come at a time of heightened global tensions linked to the Middle East conflict, raising concerns about the future of transatlantic security cooperation and the stability of international alliances.