Trump redoubled his criticism of NATO and demanded that Europe stop depending on the United States

“I always knew they were a paper tiger, and so does Putin.”

His statements generated strong repercussions in Europe and rekindled the debate about European military dependence on Washington.

From Europe, they responded to the president's criticism

.

The Secretary General of NATO, Mark Rutte, defended the role of the alliance and said that: “The

vast majority of European countries have collaborated with the

United States.”

For his part, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated that NATO remains:

“The most effective military alliance the world has ever seen

.”

Trump seeks to reformulate the global leadership of the United States

. The president's position is framed in his foreign policy doctrine aimed at prioritizing American interests and demanding reciprocity

from his strategic allies.

Since his return to the White House in 2025, Trump has insisted that the United States will not continue to fund international structures to which other countries do not contribute in an equivalent way.

The pressure on NATO is part of its broader strategy to redefine the North American role on the global stage and demand greater commitment from its historic partners.

President Donald Trump once again launched harsh criticism against NATO and questioned the attitude of member countries, assuring that “no one understands anything unless they are pressured”, in a new demonstration of his firm position regarding the role of the United States within the Western military alliance.

The statements were released this Thursday on social networks and come amid growing tension between Washington and several European governments over the sharing of responsibilities in matters of international defense.

Trump calls for Europe to assume greater responsibilities

The Republican president argued that many allied countries were used for decades to depending on U.S. military protection without making proportional

contributions.

“None of the countries that make up NATO understand anything unless they are pressured,” Trump said.

In addition, he remarked that the alliance:

“It wasn't there when we needed it and it won't be there if we need it again

.”

The statements deepen his historic stance of demanding a reorganization of the link between Washington and its European allies.

The conflict with Iran has once again strained the relationship with the Atlantic alliance

.

Trump's criticism comes after several NATO member countries avoided getting involved in the position promoted by Washington during the recent

war against Iran.

As the president said a few days ago, European allies did not provide sufficient support during the conflict in the Middle East nor did they collaborate on strategic tasks related to international maritime security.

“Why would we be there for them if they are not there for us?” , he questioned

.

Trump is even analyzing a US exit from NATO

.

In a recent interview with The Telegraph, Trump said that he is seriously analyzing the possibility of withdrawing the United States from the military alliance if there are no profound changes