Donald Trump harshly criticized NATO-owned states, accusing them of not supporting American operations in Iran. In his opinion, the Alliance has long failed to fulfil its role, and its real strength is much smaller than is commonly assumed. He stressed that he never trusted NATO as an effective safety tool and believes that Russia besides sees it the same way.
In an interview given to the British press, the U.S. president acknowledged that he was seriously considering withdrawing the United States from the Alliance after the war in Iran ended. This message was received as a clear signal of a deepening distance between Washington and European allies. The origin of tension was, among others, the refusal to support American actions in the mediate East, including the deficiency of consent to participate in an operation to unlock the Ormuz Strait.
Trump besides repeated his position in an interview with the information agency, announcing that he would address this issue in an evening message to the nation. As he pointed out, he intends to express his dissatisfaction with NATO's attitude and does not exclude any steps towards leaving the Alliance's structures.
Similar doubts were expressed by the Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who suggested the request to reassess NATO's importance for the interests of the United States. Although in the past he has been a supporter of the Alliance's cooperation, he now draws attention to the limitations he feels Washington is encountering. He stressed that NATO has for years made it possible for the US to keep military bases in Europe and operate on another continents, but the situation is changing if Americans cannot usage them freely.
Rubio pointed out that the presence of the U.S. troops in Europe has a advanced cost that is hard to justify if allies do not support US operations or block access to military infrastructure. In his opinion, this leads to a situation where cooperation becomes unilateral.
The tensions have deepened the concrete decisions of European countries. According to media reports, the United States attempted to usage an aviation base in Sicily without prior arrangement with the Italian authorities. Spain, on the another hand, closed its airspace for US military aircraft active in the operation in Iran, and France did not agree to the transport of arms through its territory.
The President's speech scheduled for the evening is about the situation in Iran and may include key declarations on the future of the US relation with NATO. At the same time, government officials signal that the conflict with Iran could be over soon. Washington allows both the anticipation of having talks with the authorities in Tehran and the termination of the action without formal agreement, even if the strategical Strait of Ormuz is not unlocked.
Comment: What will politicians now do who say the United States is the only pillar of our security?
