In an interview with The Telegraph published April 1, U.S. President Trump was asked if he was reconsidering the US’s membership in NATO after the war in Iran. He replied: “Oh yes, I would say [it’s) beyond reconsideration. I was never swayed by Nato. I always knew they were a paper tiger, and Putin knows that too, by the way.” Trump complained about the refusal of NATO allies coming the U.S.’ rescue in Iran when the latter unofficially closed the Strait of Hormuz. “We’ve been there automatically, including Ukraine. Ukraine wasn’t our problem. It was a test, and we were there for them, and we would always have been there for them. They weren’t there for us.”
Secretary of State Marco Rubio had argued along similar lines during an interview on Fox News on March 31. “Why do we have billions and billions of dollars… and all these American forces stationed in the region … when in our time of need we’re not going to be allowed to use those bases?” Rubio asked. “So I think there is no doubt, unfortunately, after this conflict is concluded we are going to have to re-examine that relationship. We’re going to have to re-examine the value of NATO and that Alliance for our country.”
