I always knew it was a paper tiger: Donald Trump says he is considering withdrawing the United States from…

In an interview with the British daily The Telegraph published on Wednesday, April 1, the American president asserts that he is “doing much more than reconsidering” the United States’ membership in the transatlantic alliance.

Irritated by the lack of enthusiasm from his allies to support the American war effort in the Middle East, Donald Trump brandishes the threat of a complete withdrawal of the United States from NATO at the end of the conflict.

In an interview with the British daily The Telegraph published on Wednesday, April 1, the American president stated that he was “doing much more than reconsidering” the United States’ membership in the transatlantic alliance, which is nearly 80 years old.

“I have never been influenced by NATO,” said Donald Trump. “I always knew it was a paper tiger, and Putin knows it too.”

The American president, who hinted at an end to the Middle East war within “two, three weeks” triggered on February 28 by Washington and Israel, is upset that his allies were so unwilling to help the United States reopen the Strait of Hormuz. This closure of the strategic chokepoint, through which 20% of the world’s oil normally passes, led to a significant increase in oil prices.

“They were not there for us”

Donald Trump, however, expected NATO allies’ help to be “automatic.” “We have always been there automatically, including for Ukraine,” he emphasized to The Telegraph. Ukraine, not a NATO member, “was not our problem. It was a test, and we were there for them, and we would always have been. They were not there for us.”

After these new criticisms from Donald Trump, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer defended NATO as “the most effective military alliance the world has ever known” in a press conference. NATO “has ensured our security for several decades, and we are fully committed” to this alliance, added the Labour leader.

Keir Starmer also announced that the UK will host a meeting of 35 willing countries this week to mobilize efforts to restore and guarantee maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz, said British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Wednesday.