U.S. President Donald Trump said he is “absolutely” considering withdrawing the U.S. from NATO, calling the alliance a “paper tiger” after European allies refused to support the Iran campaign. 

In an interview with The Telegraph, Trump, long a critic of the military alliance, said allied support should be “automatic.”

“Beyond not being there, it was actually hard to believe. And I didn’t do a big sale. I just said, ‘Hey,’ you know, I didn’t insist too much. I just think it should be automatic.”

“We’ve been there automatically, including Ukraine. Ukraine wasn’t our problem. It was a test, and we were there for them, and we would always have been there for them. They weren’t there for us.”

The comments came after European nations rejected Trump’s request that allies send warships to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, through which 20 percent of the world’s oil typically travels. Tehran has effectively closed the strait for weeks, sending global oil and gas prices soaring and raising fears of a worldwide recession.

In his interview with The Telegraph, Trump singled out the U.K., criticizing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer for refusing to join the American-Israeli campaign against Iran. “You don’t even have a navy. You’re too old and had aircraft carriers that didn’t work,” he said, referring to the state of Britain’s fleet.

Asked whether the prime minister should increase defense spending, Trump said: “I’m not going to tell him what to do. He can do whatever he wants. It doesn’t matter. All Starmer wants is costly windmills that are driving your energy prices through the roof.”

Responding to the president’s remarks, Starmer said Britain is “fully committed to NATO,” describing it as “the single most effective military alliance the world has ever seen.”

He told reporters: “Whatever the pressure on me and others, whatever the noise, I am going to act in the British national interest in all the decisions I make.”

Trump’s frustration with NATO allies peaked this week after reports that some European countries blocked U.S. access to bases or airspace. 

Spain confirmed it has barred U.S. planes involved in the Iran war from using its airspace. It was also reported this week that Italy denied U.S. military planes permission to land at Sigonella Air Base in Sicily for flights to the Middle East and France blocked aircraft carrying U.S. military supplies to Israel.

President Trump: 🇫🇷🇺🇸 France has been VERY UNHELPFUL with respect to the “Butcher of Iran,” who has been successfully eliminated!

The U.S.A. will REMEMBER!!! pic.twitter.com/DNYwFMAv8m

— Donald J Trump Posts TruthSocial (@TruthTrumpPost) March 31, 2026

Both Italy and France denied any conflict with the U.S. 

In a statement Tuesday, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s office did not dispute the incident but stressed it does not indicate a rift with Washington. “Each request is carefully examined, case by case, as has always been the case in the past,” the statement said. “There have been no critical issues or friction with international partners. Relations with the United States, in particular, are solid and based on full and loyal cooperation.”

The office of French President Emmanuel Macron said it was “surprised” by Trump’s remarks, noting that Paris “has not changed its position since day one” of the war.

Trump Urges Allies to Act on Oil Crisis

In a Wednesday address, Trump again criticized countries that have refused to join the U.S. military campaign against Iran, despite facing an oil crisis caused by Tehran’s blockade of the Strait.

He advised them to buy oil from the U.S. or go to the Strait. “Build up some delayed courage, you should have done it before, you should have done it with us as we asked, go to the Strait and just take it! Protect it!”

PRESIDENT TRUMP: To those countries that can’t get fuel, many of which refuse to get involved in the decapitation of Iran, I have a suggestion:

1. Buy oil from AMERICA

2. Build up some delayed courage and take the Strait for yourselves

🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/fJ5tXGw5p3

— Department of State (@StateDept) April 2, 2026

Trump Signals Final Phase of Iran Campaign

In a post on Truth Social on Wednesday, Trump said Iran’s “new regime president” has asked the U.S. for a ceasefire, but he made clear that the U.S. would only consider the offer once the Strait of Hormuz is “open, free, and clear.”

In his address, Trump said that U.S. forces will “finish the job” in Iran soon as “core strategic objectives are nearing completion,” adding that operations could conclude within two to three weeks.

“We’re going to hit them extremely hard during the next two to three weeks. We’re going to bring them back to the stone ages, where they belong,” Trump said. 

Providing updates on the month-long conflict, Trump said, “Iran’s navy is gone, their air force is in ruins, their leaders, most of them are now dead.” 

“Our enemies are losing, and America, as it has been for five years under my presidency, is winning, and now, winning bigger than ever before,” he added.