US President Donald Trump again railed against NATO over members’ refusal to join Washington’s war against Iran.
Trump — who has threatened to withdraw from the bloc and questioned its collective-defense promise — has asked allies for plans to reopen the Strait of Hormuz; many have so far blanched at offering support.
The White House is reportedly considering punishment for those that don’t help, and following talks with NATO’s leader, Trump posted that allies weren’t “THERE WHEN WE NEEDED THEM.”
The president cannot unilaterally pull the US out, but analysts warned that even undermining the alliance was counterproductive: “To compete effectively in our new era of great power competition, the US needs NATO,” a former US ambassador to Russia wrote.