NEW: Trump Floats Leaving NATO After ‘Allies’ Fail His ‘Test’

President Donald Trump is set to discuss the possibility of a potential U.S. withdrawal from NATO during his meeting with Secretary General Mark Rutte today. The news comes after a number of NATO allies barred the U.S. from using its bases and airspace for offensive operations against Iran.

During Wednesday’s press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that Trump believes NATO “was tested and they failed” during the Iran war. “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 defense,” she added.

Leavitt further confirmed that President Trump will be discussing the possibility of a withdrawal during today’s meeting. “That is something the president has discussed, and I think it’s something the president will be discussing in a couple of hours with Secretary General Rutte,” Leavitt told reporters.

She further noted that Trump looked forward to a “very frank and candid conversation” with the NATO chief and indicated that the president might provide further comments after the meeting.

The high stakes meeting comes less than 24 hours after Trump announced that the U.S., Iran and Israel, in conjunction with regional mediators, had agreed to pause the conflict for two weeks in order to allow for further negotiations. The agreement is already being tested but continues to hold as of this report.

The agreement followed Trump’s earlier deadline for a deal and included provisions to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a key waterway for global oil shipments that had been disrupted during the nearly six-week conflict. The White House has described the ceasefire as resulting from U.S. military leverage that created an opening for diplomacy.

Throughout the conflict, European allies had not joined U.S.-Israeli operations in Iran and had declined requests to assist with securing the Strait of Hormuz, which has contributed to current tensions. Europe’s role in the diplomatic followthrough of the agreement is expected to be a primary topic of today’s meeting.

Trump has previously raised concerns about NATO burden-sharing and alliance commitments on multiple prior occasions, including during his first term when he criticized members for insufficient defense spending. He has also periodically described the alliance as a “paper tiger” in relation to perceived imbalances.

In his second term, Trump has described his relationship with Rutte as “excellent.” This has led to increased NATO spending among alliance members, though concerns still persist.

Legal requirements under U.S. law, including provisions in the 2024 National Defense Authorization Act, would necessitate congressional involvement for any formal exit from NATO.

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