Donald Trump is threatening to pull the United States out of NATO – a move experts warn could leave America dangerously alone on the world stage, with some cautioning the country “might not even survive.”
Venting his frustration over what he claimed is the failure of allies to help America in its war against Iran, President Donald Trump told The Telegraph NATO is a “paper tiger” and that the U.S. leaving the alliance is now “beyond reconsideration”
“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,” the 79-year-old president said when asked whether he would rethink America’s role in the alliance.
King ‘would have stood by me’
Trump also took aim at Britain’s response to the conflict, criticizing the country’s military capabilities and saying of its fleet, “You don’t even have a navy. You’re too old and had aircraft carriers that didn’t work.”
He went on to suggest that King Charles – whom he described as “a friend of mine” – would have approached the situation differently than Prime Minister Keir Starmer, implying the monarch may have been more supportive of the US position.
“I think he would have taken a very different stand [on the war in Iran] but he doesn’t do that. I mean, he’s a great gentleman,” said Trump of the king, adding that he “would have stood by me.”
The comment reflects Trump’s broader frustration with allies he believes have failed to support the US during the conflict with Iran.
“It should be automatic,” he told The Telegraph of NATO support. “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.”
NATO is a one-way street
Trump’s remarks followed comments from US Secretary of State Marco Rubio who said there is “no doubt” that Washington will “reexamine” its relationship with NATO after some member states refused to support American military operations in the conflict with Iran.
“If now we have reached a point where the NATO alliance means we can’t use those bases to defend America’s interests, then NATO is a one-way street,” Rubio said in an interview with FOX News. “Then NATO is simply about us having troops in Europe to defend Europe.”
“But…when we need them to allow us to use their military bases, their answer is no? Then why are we in NATO? You have to ask that question,” Rubio said on April 1.
Why NATO plays a major role in global security
NATO, formed in 1949, includes 32 countries – two founding members in North America, including Canada and the U.S. – that have agreed to cooperate on defense and security issues.
Its founding principle centers on collective protection, meaning members respond together if one nation faces an external threat.
The organization describes its mission as safeguarding the freedom and security of member countries and more than one billion citizens through political and military cooperation.
For decades, NATO has functioned as a stabilizing force, helping coordinate defense strategies, intelligence sharing, and joint military operations.
Can the United States leave NATO?
Although Trump has suggested the decision could rest with the president, current US law requires congressional approval before withdrawal from NATO – a target of the his since his first term.
Legislation passed in 2023 requires “two thirds vote of the Senate to make sure clueless presidents couldn’t act on a whim,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer shared on X of the measure that was co-sponsored by Rubio and Democratic Senator Tim Kaine, and later included in the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act.
“The Senate will not vote to leave NATO and abandon our allies just because Trump is upset they wouldn’t go along with his reckless war of choice,” Schumer tweeted on April 1, before thanking Rubio for “sponsoring the bill.”
Schumer also pointed to Rubio’s earlier support for the legislation, which stated: “No U.S. President should be able to withdraw from NATO without Senate approval.”
Impact of US withdrawal from NATO
Even with legal obstacles standing in the way, analysts warn the broader implications of such a move could reshape America’s global position.
An analysis published The National Interest illustrates just how much the United States depends on international partnerships to sustain its global military presence, explaining that allied bases and shared infrastructure make it possible for American forces to respond quickly to crises far from home.
Without that cooperation, the country’s operational reach would be far more limited, with the report stating: “Our bombers couldn’t reach targets halfway around the world without support from allies.”
Without these partnerships, experts caution that the United States “will lose access to many military bases around the globe.”
“There is no denying that the United States remains the world’s mightiest superpower,” but “even as a superpower, the United States can’t stand alone.”
It adds that America “alone won’t be a superpower – We might not even survive.”
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