- Title: Trump's comments on NATO as he reportedly considers alliance exit
- Date: 1st April 2026
- Summary: NATO leaders backed the big increase in defence spending that Trump had demanded, and restated their commitment to defend each other from attack. In a five-point statement, NATO endorsed a higher defence spending goal of 5% of GDP by 2035 - a response not only to Trump but also to Europeans' fears that Russia poses a growing threat to their security following the 2022 inva
- Embargoed:
- Keywords: ALLIANCE DEFENCE IRAN MILITARY NATO RUSSIA SPENDING STRAIT OF HORMUZ TRUMP UKRAINE US WAR
- Location: VARIOUS
- City: VARIOUS
- Country: US
- Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace,North America
- Reuters ID: LVA003919001042026RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: U.S. President Donald Trump said he was strongly considering pulling the United States out of NATO after allies failed to back U.S. military action against Iran, according to an interview with Britain's Daily Telegraph.
Trump described the alliance as a "paper tiger" and said removing the United States from the defence pact was now "beyond reconsideration," the newspaper reported. He said he had long held doubts about NATO's credibility.
"Oh yes, I would say [it’s] beyond reconsideration," Trump told the newspaper when asked about whether he would reconsider U.S. membership of the alliance after the conflict.
"I was never swayed by NATO. I always knew they were a paper tiger, and Putin knows that too, by the way."
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