US Considering Withdrawal from NATO Amidst Tensions with Iran

US President Donald Trump Criticizes European Partners Over Iran War Effort

In a news briefing on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that US President Donald Trump is considering withdrawing from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) due to the alliance’s failure to contribute military forces to the war against Iran. The comments came ahead of Trump’s meeting with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the White House.

According to Leavitt, Trump described the situation as a “test” that NATO had failed, citing the lack of contributions from European partners outside of defensive manoeuvres. She also mentioned that Trump would have a “very frank and candid conversation” with Rutte during their meeting.

Trump has previously expressed frustration with NATO’s European partners over their defence spending, which he believes is insufficient. In 2025, at the NATO summit, the alliance agreed to nonbinding commitments to increase their defence budgets to 5 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) by 2035. However, Spain sought an exemption, leading to tensions between the US and its European allies.

The situation escalated after the US and Israel launched a war against Iran on February 28. Trump criticized European countries for not contributing to the campaign, which many legal scholars consider an act of aggression in violation of international law.

According to reports, the Trump administration is considering whether to close US bases or move troops out of countries such as Spain and Germany as punishment for their stance on the war. Leavitt confirmed that Trump has discussed withdrawing from NATO and could address it after his meeting with Rutte.

Source: Al Jazeera