Trump administration signals it is mulling NATO withdrawal after Iran war

The US president has lashed out at European partners for declining to contribute military forces to the war on Iran.United States President Donald Trump has reportedly discussed withdrawing from NATO, the transatlantic alliance that has been a central pillar of Western security for decades.At a news briefing on Wednesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt framed the US and Israel’s war on Iran as a “test” that the alliance had failed.Recommended Stories list of 3 itemslist 1 of 3How are NATO allies pushing back against Trump’s Iran war demands?list 2 of 3Trump shares SNL skit mocking Starmer as he speaks to UK PM over Iran warlist 3 of 3UK-led coalition of 40 countries vows action on Hormuz Strait closureend of listDespite Trump’s pressure, NATO allies had declined to contribute military forces to the war, outside of defensive manoeuvres.Leavitt’s comments came shortly before Trump met with NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte at the White House.“I have a direct quote from the president of the United States on NATO, and I will share it with all of you. They were tested, and they failed,” Leavitt said.“I would add, it’s quite sad that NATO turned their backs on the American people over the course of the last six weeks, when it’s the American people who have been funding their defence.”Trump, she continued, was preparing to have “a very frank and candid conversation” with Rutte that afternoon.In an interview with the news outlet CNN after their meeting, Rutte likewise described the encounter as “frank and open”. He reiterated his support for Trump, but added that NATO allies had offered support through logistics and access to bases.“Did the president say he was going to try withdraw from NATO or, at the very least, not support NATO as much as other presidents have,” CNN host Jake Tapper asked Rutte.“There is a disappointment, clearly. But at the same time he was also listening careful to my arguments of what is happening,” Rutte replied, before pivoting to praise of Trump’s leadership.