Donald Trump has said the United States is strongly considering withdrawing from NATO, escalating tensions with allies amid the ongoing conflict with Iran.
In a new interview with The Daily Telegraph, Trump criticises the alliance after several member states declined to support US military operations, describing NATO as a "paper tiger" and questioning its credibility.
The US president suggested that leaving the alliance was now "beyond reconsideration", adding that his scepticism towards NATO predates the current crisis. "I was never swayed by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger, and Putin knows that too, by the way."
The remarks come as divisions deepen between Washington and European partners, many of whom have resisted involvement in the Iran war and limited US access to bases and airspace.
A potential US withdrawal from NATO would mark a historic shift in global security, raising questions about the future of the transatlantic alliance and Europe's defence posture.